Keith Daw

“To be conservative, then, is to prefer the familiar to the unknown, to prefer the tried to the untried, fact to mystery, the actual to the possible, the limited to the unbounded, the near to the distant, the sufficient to the superabundant, the convenient to the perfect, present laughter to utopian bliss.”
― Michael Joseph Oakeshott, Rationalism in Politics and other essays

“A so-called ideal scheme which does not grow out of reality is definitely and finally not ideal at all.”
― Michael Oakeshott, Early Political Writings 1925-30: A discussion of some matters preliminary to the study of political philosophy' and 'The philosophical approach to ... Oakeshott Selected Writings Book 5)

“The man of conservative temperament believes that a known good is not lightly to be surrendered for an unknown better.”
― Michael Oakeshott, Rationalism in Politics and other essays