Maxims and opinions, moral, political and economical, with characters, from the works of ... Edmund Burke, Volume 11804 |
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Page 8
... appears to me less fair and justifiable , ( even if no attempt were made to inflame the passions ) than to submit a matter on discussion to a tribunal incapable of judg ing of more than one side of the question . ARBITRARY POWER ...
... appears to me less fair and justifiable , ( even if no attempt were made to inflame the passions ) than to submit a matter on discussion to a tribunal incapable of judg ing of more than one side of the question . ARBITRARY POWER ...
Page 21
... appears then or never . Even wolves and tigers , when gorged with their prey , are safe and gentle . It is at such times that noble minds give all the reins to their good nature . They indulge their genius even to intemperance , in ...
... appears then or never . Even wolves and tigers , when gorged with their prey , are safe and gentle . It is at such times that noble minds give all the reins to their good nature . They indulge their genius even to intemperance , in ...
Page 35
... appear to contemn . If by their conduct ( the only language that rarely lies ) they seemed to regard the great ruling principle of the moral and the natural world , as a mere in- vention to keep the vulgar in obedience , they appre ...
... appear to contemn . If by their conduct ( the only language that rarely lies ) they seemed to regard the great ruling principle of the moral and the natural world , as a mere in- vention to keep the vulgar in obedience , they appre ...
Page 37
... appear in a manner no way assorted to those with whom they must associate , and over whom they must even exercise , in some cases , something like an authority . What must they think of that body of teachers , if they see it in no part ...
... appear in a manner no way assorted to those with whom they must associate , and over whom they must even exercise , in some cases , something like an authority . What must they think of that body of teachers , if they see it in no part ...
Page 58
... appear to be , not imperfections into which it has inadvertently fallen , but excellencies which it has studiously sought . To avoid the per- fections of extreme , all its several parts are so con- stituted , as not alone to answer ...
... appear to be , not imperfections into which it has inadvertently fallen , but excellencies which it has studiously sought . To avoid the per- fections of extreme , all its several parts are so con- stituted , as not alone to answer ...
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affairs ambition amongst ancient arbitrary assertors atheism authority British constitution cause character church citizens civil commonwealth concerning consider controul corrupt court crown danger destroy dignity duty EDMUND BURKE effect empire England equal establishment estates Europe evil exercise exist favour fear force France fraud freedom habits honour house of commons human idea ill blood individuals institutions interest jacobinism judge kind king labour legislators liberty ligion mankind manner maxims means member of parliament ment metaphysical mind mode monarchy moral nation nature necessity never object obliged opinion oppression parliament parties passions persons political politics of Europe possession powerful instincts preserve principles prudence racter reason religion render revenue ruin sense sentiments society sort sovereign spirit star chamber stitution sure tence test acts things tion true trust virtue whilst whole wholly wisdom wise
Popular passages
Page 181 - But the age of chivalry is gone. That of sophisters, economists, and calculators, has succeeded; and the glory of Europe is extinguished for ever.
Page 182 - All the pleasing illusions which made power gentle and obedience liberal, which harmonized the different shades of life, and which, by a bland assimilation incorporated into politics the sentiments which beautify and soften private society, are to be dissolved by this new conquering empire of light and reason. All the decent drapery of life is to be rudely torn off.
Page 144 - Our political system is placed in a just correspondence and symmetry with the order of the world, and with the mode of existence decreed to a permanent body composed of transitory parts ; wherein, by the disposition of a stupendous wisdom, moulding together the great mysterious incorporation of the human race, the whole, at one time, is never old, or middle-aged, or young, but in a condition of unchangeable constancy, moves on through the varied tenor of perpetual decay, fall, renovation, and progression.
Page 144 - Besides, the people of England well know that the idea of inheritance furnishes a sure principle of conservation and a sure principle of transmission, without at all excluding a principle of improvement.
Page 149 - But government and legislation are matters of reason and judgment, and not of inclination ; and, • what sort of reason is that, in which the determination...
Page 126 - It is, besides, a very great mistake to imagine that mankind follow up practically any speculative principle, either of government or of freedom, as far as it will go in argument and logical illation. We Englishmen stop very short of the principles upon which we support any given part of our constitution ; or even the whole of it together. I could easily, if I had not altogether tired you, give you very striking and convincing instances of it.
Page 143 - You will observe that from Magna Charta to the Declaration of Right it has been the uniform policy of our constitution to claim and assert our liberties as an entailed inheritance derived to us from our forefathers, and to be transmitted to our posterity — as an estate specially belonging to the people of this kingdom, without any reference whatever to any other more general or prior right.
Page 53 - Terror is not always the effect of force, and an armament is not a victory. If you do not succeed, you are without resource : for, conciliation failing, force remains ; but, force failing, no further hope of reconciliation is left.
Page 186 - Manners are of more importance than laws. Upon them, in a great measure, the laws depend. The law touches us but here and there, and now and then. Manners are what vex or soothe, corrupt or purify, exalt or debase, barbarize or refine us, by a constant, steady, uniform, insensible operation, like that of the air we breathe in. They give their whole form and colour to our lives. According to their quality, they aid morals, they supply them, or they totally destroy them.
Page 106 - The fact is so; and these people of the southern colonies are much more strongly and with a higher and more stubborn spirit attached to liberty than those to the northward. Such were all the ancient commonwealths; such were our Gothic ancestors; such in our days were the Poles; and such will be all masters of slaves, who are not slaves themselves. In such a people the haughtiness of domination combines with the spirit of freedom, fortifies it, and renders it invincible.