"Just as radical heirs apparent are said to lay aside all inconvenient revolutionary opinions when they come to the throne, it was believed that Mr. Mill in Parliament would be an entirely different person from Mr. Mill in his study"
About this Quote
The intent is double-edged. Fawcett is registering a real fear about co-optation: institutions don’t merely constrain, they seduce, offering status in exchange for softened beliefs. But she’s also skewering the complacency of observers who treat that bargain as natural law. “It was believed” matters; she’s naming a social reflex, not reporting a fact. The quote exposes how the public often prefers the story of inevitable sellout, because it flatters their own resignation. If even Mill will become “entirely different,” then why demand consistency from anyone - or take any reform seriously?
Context sharpens the stakes. As an activist navigating Parliament’s slow machinery, Fawcett understood how easily a reform agenda can be dismissed as naive until it becomes inconvenient, then reclassified as performative. The “study” versus “Parliament” contrast isn’t just about space; it’s about identity under surveillance. Her subtext: the test of reformers is not whether they become pragmatic, but whether pragmatism becomes an alibi.
Quote Details
| Topic | Sarcastic |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite | Cite this Quote |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Fawcett, Millicent. (n.d.). Just as radical heirs apparent are said to lay aside all inconvenient revolutionary opinions when they come to the throne, it was believed that Mr. Mill in Parliament would be an entirely different person from Mr. Mill in his study. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/just-as-radical-heirs-apparent-are-said-to-lay-77928/
Chicago Style
Fawcett, Millicent. "Just as radical heirs apparent are said to lay aside all inconvenient revolutionary opinions when they come to the throne, it was believed that Mr. Mill in Parliament would be an entirely different person from Mr. Mill in his study." FixQuotes. Accessed February 2, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/just-as-radical-heirs-apparent-are-said-to-lay-77928/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Just as radical heirs apparent are said to lay aside all inconvenient revolutionary opinions when they come to the throne, it was believed that Mr. Mill in Parliament would be an entirely different person from Mr. Mill in his study." FixQuotes, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/just-as-radical-heirs-apparent-are-said-to-lay-77928/. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
