Who said “In England we have come to rely upon a comfortable time-lag of fifty years or a century…”?

Verified

H.G. Wells. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceThe Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind, Ch. 11 (1931)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

Source checked · Something wrong? Report a correction

“In England we have come to rely upon a comfortable time-lag of fifty years or a century intervening between the perception that something ought to be done and a serious attempt to do it.”
VerifiedThe Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind, Ch. 11 (1931) · evidenceReform

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind, Ch. 11 (1931).

APA

Wells, H. (n.d.). In England we have come to rely upon a comfortable time-lag of fifty years or a century intervening between the perception that something ought to be done and a serious attempt to do it. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/35517-in-england-we-have-come-to-rely-upon/

MLA

Wells, H.G. “In England we have come to rely upon a comfortable time-lag of fifty years or a century intervening between the perception that something ought to be done and a serious attempt to do it.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/35517-in-england-we-have-come-to-rely-upon/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Wells, H.G. “In England we have come to rely upon a comfortable time-lag of fifty years or a century intervening between the perception that something ought to be done and a serious attempt to do it.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/35517-in-england-we-have-come-to-rely-upon/.