Success Quote by Richard Cobden

Cobden’s line lands like a backhanded toast: he refuses the syrupy patriotism of declaring the English “superior to all the world,” then grants them something narrower and, in context, more consequential - the right not to be dismissed as cowards. It’s praise with a tightened leash. By leading with “I am not accustomed,” Cobden performs independence from the default flattery expected in public life, a rhetorical move that signals credibility to listeners tired of chest-thumping. He’s not courting the crowd; he’s claiming the authority to judge it.

The phrasing also reveals the politics of his moment. Cobden, the free-trade radical associated with the Anti-Corn Law League, was often accused by opponents of weakening the nation: commerce over empire, negotiation over saber-rattling. In that climate, calling the English “not cowards” isn’t merely about character; it’s a defensive strike against the idea that restraint equals softness. He’s separating courage from jingoism, insisting that national strength can include refusing pointless swagger.

The subtext is a challenge: if you’re brave, you don’t need constant reassurance of your supremacy. You can tolerate criticism, accept limits, and still stand firm when it matters. Cobden’s compliment is deliberately unglamorous - not “great,” not “destined,” not “chosen,” just not contemptible. That’s the point. He’s trying to sober up a political culture addicted to self-mythology, replacing it with a baseline virtue that supports his larger agenda: confidence without conquest.