Mirabeau's Letters During His Residence in England: With Anecdotes, Maxims, &c; Now First Translated from the Original Manuscripts. To which is Prefixed, an Introductory Notice on the Life, Writings, Conduct, and Character, of the Author, Volume 1E. Wilson, 1832 |
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Common terms and phrases
acquainted Adieu admiration affairs amongst ancient appear Archbishop of Paris atheism beau beautiful Berlin Bishop Bishop of Worcester Calonne caria celebrated combats court crimes criminal dear friend despotic Duke of Orleans Dumont eloquence England English character Europe excellent excite favour French genius gentlemen grand honour horses Houyhnhnms imagination interest King labour lady land language less lettre de cachet liberty London Lord Chatham Louis Louis XV Madame Madame du Barry manner Marquis melancholy ment mind minister Mira Mirabeau became MIRABEAU'S LETTERS monarch Monnier Monsieur moral National Assembly nature Necker never nobility noblemen notwithstanding observed obtained occasion offence Old Bailey opinion Paris passed persons political Pontarlier possession present pretended Prince Prussian punishment of death reign remarkable rendered respect revolution Romilly secret soul studies sufficient talents taste thing tion town trial by jury Vale Voltaire words write
Popular passages
Page 207 - Thucydides and have studied and admired the master states of the world— that for solidity of reasoning, force of sagacity, and wisdom of conclusion, under such a complication of difficult circumstances, no nation or body of men can stand in preference to the general congress at Philadelphia.
Page 215 - You may swell every expense, and every effort, still more extravagantly; pile and accumulate every assistance you can buy or borrow ; traffic and barter with every little pitiful German prince, that sells and sends his subjects to the shambles of a foreign prince ; your efforts are for ever vain and impotent: doubly so from this mercenary aid on which you rely.
Page 204 - England on its legs, and by the Bill of Rights vindicated the English constitution: the same spirit which established the great fundamental essential maxim of your liberties, that no subject of England shall be taxed but by his own consent.
Page 215 - I do; I know their virtues and their valor; I know they can achieve anything but impossibilities; and I know that the conquest of British America is an impossibility. You cannot, my Lords, you cannot conquer America. What is your present situation there ? We do not know the worst; but we know that in three campaigns we have done nothing, and suffered much.
Page 213 - I will not join in congratulation on misfortune and disgrace. This, my lords, is a perilous and tremendous moment. It is not a time for adulation : the smoothness of flattery cannot save us in this rugged and awful crisis. It is now necessary to instruct the throne in the language of truth.
Page 216 - What makes ambition virtue? The sense of honor. But is the sense of honor consistent with a spirit of plunder or the practice of murder? Can it flow from mercenary motives, or can it prompt to cruel deeds ? Besides these murderers and plunderers, let me ask our ministers: What other allies have they acquired? What other powers have they associated to their cause? Have they entered into alliance with the king of the gipsies' Nothing, my lords, is too low or too ludicrous to be consistent with their...
Page 208 - ... becoming your exalted situation, make the first advances to concord, to peace, and happiness; for that is your true dignity, to act with prudence and justice. That you should first concede is obvious from sound and rational policy. Concession comes with better grace and more salutary effect from superior power.
Page 213 - ... assistance. As it is the right of parliament to give, so it is the duty of the crown to ask it. But on this day, and in this extreme momentous exigency, no reliance is reposed on our constitutional counsels...
Page 215 - To overrun them with the mercenary sons of rapine and plunder ; devoting them and their possessions to the rapacity of hireling cruelty ! If I were an American, as I am an Englishman, while a foreign troop was landed in my country, I never would lay down my arms — never — never — never...
Page 203 - I remember, some years ago, when the repeal of the Stamp Act was in agitation, conversing in a friendly confidence with a person of undoubted respect and authenticity, on that subject, and he assured me with a certainty which his judgment and opportunity gave him, that these were the prevalent and steady principles of America: — that you might destroy their towns, and cut them...