Who said “Mankind are an incorrigible race. Give them but bugbears and idols -- it is all that…”?

Verified

William Hazlitt. A published source records them saying or writing it.

Source"Common Places," No. 76, The Literary Examiner (September - December 1823)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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“Mankind are an incorrigible race. Give them but bugbears and idols -- it is all that they ask; the distinctions of right and wrong, of truth and falsehood, of good and evil, are worse than indifferent to them.”
Verified"Common Places," No. 76, The Literary Examiner (September - December 1823) · evidenceSuperstition

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: "Common Places," No. 76, The Literary Examiner (September - December 1823).

APA

Hazlitt, W. (n.d.). Mankind are an incorrigible race. Give them but bugbears and idols -- it is all that they ask; the distinctions of right and wrong, of truth and falsehood, of good and evil, are worse than indifferent to them. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/27772-mankind-are-an-incorrigible-race-give-them-but/

MLA

Hazlitt, William. “Mankind are an incorrigible race. Give them but bugbears and idols -- it is all that they ask; the distinctions of right and wrong, of truth and falsehood, of good and evil, are worse than indifferent to them.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/27772-mankind-are-an-incorrigible-race-give-them-but/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Hazlitt, William. “Mankind are an incorrigible race. Give them but bugbears and idols -- it is all that they ask; the distinctions of right and wrong, of truth and falsehood, of good and evil, are worse than indifferent to them.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/27772-mankind-are-an-incorrigible-race-give-them-but/.