Selections from the Speeches and Writings of Edmund Burke

by Edmund Burke

70 chapters18h 15mEnglish1893

About this book

There can be no hesitation in according to him a station among the most extraordinary men that ever appeared; and we think there is now but little diversity of opinion as to the kind of place which it is fit to assign him. He was a writer of the first class, and excelled in almost every kind of composition. Possessed of most extensive knowledge, and of the most various description; acquainted alike with what different classes of men knew, each in his own province, and with much that hardly any one ever thought of learning; he could either bring his masses of information to bear directly upon the subjects to which they severally belonged,—or he could avail himself of them generally to strengthen his faculties, and enlarge his views,—or he could turn any of them to account for the purpose of illustrating his theme, or enriching his diction. Hence, when he is handling any one matter, we perceive that we are conversing with a reasoner or a teacher, to whom almost every other branch of knowledge is familiar: his views range over all the cognate objects; his reasonings are derived from principles applicable to other themes, as well as the one in hand; arguments pour in from all sides, as well as those which start up under our feet,—the natural growth of the path he is leading us over; while to throw light round our steps, and either explore its darkest places, or serve for our recreation; illustrations are fetched from a thousand quarters, and an imagination marvelously quick to descry unthought of resemblances, points to our use the stores, which a love yet more marvelously has gathered from all ages and nations, and arts and tongues. - Summary by Sir James Mackintosh

Chapters (70)

1Introductory Essay

2285

2Appendix

280

3Nature and Functions of the House of Commons — Retrospect and Resignation — Modesty of Mind — Newton and Nature — Theory and Practice

521

4Induction and Comparison — Divine Power on the Human Idea — Union of Love and Dread in Religion — Office of Sympathy — Words

345

5Nature Anticipates Man — Self — Inspection — Power of the Obscure — Female Beauty — Novelty and Curiosity

288

6Pleasures of Analogy — Ambition — Extensions of Sympathy — Philosophy of Taste — Clearness and Strength in Style

312

7Unity of Imagination — Effect of Words — Investigation — Sublime — Obscurity

292

8Principles of Taste — the Beautiful — the Real and the Ideal — Judgment in Art — Moral Effects of Language

465

9Security of Truth — Imitation an Instinctive Law — Standard of Reason and Taste — Use of Theory — Political Outcasts

336

10Injustice to Our Own Age — False Coalitions — Political Empiricism — a Visionary — Party Divisions

395

11Decorum in Party — not So Bad as We Seem — Politics Without Principle — Moral Debasement Progressive — Despotism

368

12Judgment and Policy — Popular Discontent — the People and Their Rulers — Government Favouritism — Administration and Legislation

360

13Influence of the Crown — Voice of the People — Fallacy of Extremes — Private Character a Basis for Public Confidence — Prevention

508

14Confidence in the People — False Maxims Assumed as First Principles — Lord Chatham — Grenville — Charles Townshend

991

15Party and Place — Political Connections — Neutrality — Weakness in Government — American Progress

605

16Combination, not Faction — Great Men — Power of Constituents — Influence of Place in Government — Taxation Involves Principle

430

17Good Member of Parliament — Fisheries of New England — Preparation for Parliament — Bathurst and America's Future — Candid Policy

628

18Wisdom of Concession — Magnanimity — Duty of Representatives — Prudential Silence — Colonial Ties

292

19Government and Legislation — Parliament — Moral Levellers — Public Salary and Patriotic Service — Rational Liberty

522

20Ireland and Magna Charta — Colonies and British Constitution — Reciprocal Confidence — Pensions and the Crown — Colonial Progress

751

21Feudal Principles and Modern Times — Restrictive Virtues — Libellers of Human Nature — Refusal a Revenue — a Party Man

695

22Patriotism and Public Income — American Protestantism — Right of Taxation — Contracted Views — Assimilating Power of Contact

582

23Prudence of Timely Reform — Difficulties of Reformers — Philosophy of Commerce — Theorizing Politicians — Economy and Public Spirit

515

24Reform Ought to Be Progressive — Civil Freedom — Tendencies of Power — Individual Good and Public Benefit — Public Corruption

420

25Cruelty and Cowardice — Bad Laws Produce Base Subserviency — False Regret — British Dominion in East India — Political Charity

740

26Evils of Distraction — Charles Fox — the Impracticable Undesirable — Constitution of the Commons — Emoluments of Office

621

27Moral Distinctions — Electors and Representatives — Popular Opinion a Fallacious Standard — English Reformation — Proscription

621

28Just Freedom — England's Embassy to America — Howard, the Philanthropist — Parliamentary Retrospect — People and Parliament

489

29Reformed Civil List — French and English Revolution — Armed Discipline — Gilded Despotism — Our French Dangers

659

30Sir George Saville — Corruption not Self — Reformed — the Bribed and the Bribers — Hyder Ali — Reformation and Anarchy Contrasted and Compared

854

31Confidence and Jealousy — Economy of Injustice — Subsistence and Revenue — Authority and Venality — Prerogative of the Crown and Privilege of Parliament

564

32Burke and Fox — Peers and Commons — Natural Self — Destruction — the Carnatic — Abstract Theory of Human Liberty

848

33Politics and the Pulpit — Idea of French Revolution — Patriotic Distinction — Kingly Power not Based on Popular Choice — Preaching Democracy of Dissent

730

34Jargon of Republicanism — Conservative Progress of Inherited Freedom — Conservation and Correction — Hereditary Succession of English Crown — Limits of Legislative Capacity

985

35Our Constitution, not Fabricated, But Inherited — Low Aims and Low Instruments — House of Commons Contrasted with National Assembly — Property, More Than Ability, Represented in Parliament — Virtue and Wisdom Qualify for Government

1337

36Natural and Civil Rights — Marie Antoinette — Spirit of a Gentleman and the Spirit of Religion — Power Survives Opinion — Chivalry a Moralizing Charm

1306

37Sacredness of Moral Instincts — Parental Experience — Revolutionary Scene — Economy on State Principles — Philosophical Vanity; Its Maxims, and Effects

2482

38Unity Between Church and State — Triple Basis of French Revolution — Correspondent System of Manners and Morals — Ferocity of Jacobinism — Voice of Oppression

1171

39Britain Vindicated in Her War with France — Polish and French Revolution — Europe in 1789 — Atheism Cannot Repent — Outward Dignity of the Church Defended

1238

40Danger of Abstract Views — Appeal to Impartiality — Historical Estimate of Louis Xvi — Negative Religion a Nullity — Antechamber of Regicide

885

41Tremendousness of War — English Officers — Diplomacy of Humiliation — Relation of Wealth to National Dignity — Ambassadors of Infamy

814

42Difficulty the Path to Glory — Robespierre and His Counterparts — Accumulation, a State Principle — Warning for a Nation — Santerre and Tallien

1036

43Sir Sydney Smith — a Moral Distinction — Infidels and Their Policy — What a Minister Should Attempt — Law of Vicinity

1280

44European Community — Perils of Jacobin Peace — Parliamentary and Regal Prerogative — Burke's Design in His Greatest Work — Lord Keppel

1476

45"Labouring Poor" — State Consecrated by the Church — Fate of Louis XVIII — Nobility — Legislation and Republicans

1369

46Principle of State-Consecration — British Stability — Literary Atheists — City of Paris — Principle of Church Property

1400

47Parsimony not Economy — Majesty of the British Constitution — Duty not Based on Will — Ecclesiastical Confiscation — Moral of History

1054

48Use of Defects in History — Social Contract — Prescriptive Rights — Madness of Innovation — the State, Its Own Revenue

971

49Metaphysical Depravity — Personal and Ancestral Claims — Monastic and Philosophic Superstition — Difficulty and Wisdom of Corporate Reform — Distinctive Character of English Protestantism

1104

50Fictitious Liberty — French Ignorance of English Character — the "People," and "Omnipotence" of Parliament — Magnanimity of English People — True Basis of Civil Society

791

51Rousseau — Moral Heroes — Kingdom of France — Grievance and Opinion — Perplexity and Policy

829

52Historical Instruction — Montesquieu — Articles, and Scripture — Problem of Legislation — Order, Labour, and Property

631

53Regicidal Legislature — Government not to Be Rashly Censured — Etiquette — Ancient Establishments — Sentiment and Policy

651

54Patriotism — Necessity, a Relative Term — King John and the Pope — Consumption and Produce — "Priests of the Rights of Man"

792

55"His Grace" — Speculation and History — Labour and Wages — a Complete Revolution — British Government in India

1635

56Money and Science — Political Axioms — Disappointed Ambition — Difficulty an Instructor — Sovereign Jurisdictions

1348

57Prudery of False Reform — Exaggeration — Tactics of Cabal — Government, Relative, not Absolute — General Views

1264

58Magnitude in Building — Society and Solitude — East — India Bill and Company — Parliaments and Elections — Religion and Magistracy

1715

59Persecution, False in Theory — Irish Legislation — Henry of Navarre — Test Acts — What Faction Ought to Teach

681

60Grievances by Law — Revolutionary Politics — Toleration Become Intolerant — Wilkes and Right of Election — Rockingham and Conway

1827

61Politics in the Pulpit — William the Conqueror — King Alfred — Druids — Saxon Conquest and Conversion

1979

62Ministerial Responsibility — Monastic Institutions and Their Results — Common Law and Magna Charta — Europe and the Norman Invasion — Ancient Inhabitants of Britain

3421

63Public Prosecutions — True Nature of a Jacobin War — National Dignity — Principles of Government not Absolute, But Relative — Declaration of 1793

1628

64Moral Diet — King William's Policy — Distemper of Remedy — War and Will of the People — False Policy in Our French War

1089

65Moral Essence Makes a Nation — Public Spirit — Progressive Growth of Christian States — Petty Interests — Pius Vii

1007

66Extinction of Local Patriotism — Walpole and His Policy — Political Peace — Public Loans — Historical Strictures

1861

67Constitution not the People's Slave — Modern "Lights" — Republics in the Abstract — an English Monarch — Physiognomy

848

68The Eye — Abolition and Use of Parliaments — Cromwell and His Contrasts — Delicacy — Confiscation and Currency

1404

69"Omnipotence of Church Plunder" — Ugliness — Grace — Elegance and Speciousness — the Beautiful in Feeling

565

70The Beautiful in Sounds — British Church

527

Selections from the Speeches and Writings of Edmund Burke

About this book

Chapters (70)

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