Edmund Burke (1729 – 1797)
Irish political philosopher, Whig politician and statesman who is often regarded as the father of modern conservatism.
Politics and the pulpit are terms that have little agreement.
Taxing is an easy business. Any projector can contrive new impositions, any bungler can add to the old.
If we command our wealth, we shall be rich and free; if our wealth commands us, we are poor indeed.
In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood, binding up the constitution of our country with our dearest domestic ties, adopting our fundamental laws into the bosom of our family affections, keeping inseparable and cherishing with the warmth of all their combined and mutually reflected charities our state, our hearths, our sepulchres, and our altars.
I am convinced that we have a degree of delight, and that no small one, in the real misfortunes and pains of others.
The sycophant — who in the pay of the English oligarchy played the romantic laudator temporis acti against the French Revolution just as, in the pay of the North American colonies at the beginning of the American troubles, he had played the liberal against the English oligarchy — was an out-and-out vulgar bourgeois.
Neither the few nor the many have a right to act merely by their will, in any matter connected with duty, trust, engagement, or obligation.
A very great part of the mischiefs that vex the world arises from words.
There is but one law for all, namely, that law which governs all law, the law of our Creator, the law of humanity, justice, equity — the law of nature, and of nations.
Religious persecution may shield itself under the guise of a mistaken and over-zealous piety.
There was an ancient Roman lawyer, of great fame in the history of Roman jurisprudence, whom they called Cui Bono, from his having first introduced into judicial proceedings the argument, "What end or object could the party have had in the act with which he is accused."
All those instances to be found in history, whether real or fabulous, of a doubtful public spirit, at which morality is perplexed, reason is staggered, and from which affrighted Nature recoils, are their chosen and almost sole examples for the instruction of their youth.
I take toleration to be a part of religion. I do not know which I would sacrifice; I would keep them both: it is not necessary that I should sacrifice either.
So far as it has gone, it probably is the most pure and defecated publick good which ever has been conferred on mankind.
Our patience will achieve more than our force.
Beauty is the promise of happiness.
Gentlemen, the melancholy event of yesterday reads to us an awful lesson against being too much troubled about any of the objects of ordinary ambition. The worthy gentleman, who has been snatched from us at the moment of the election, and in the middle of contest, whilst his desires were as warm, and his hopes as eager as ours, has feelingly told us, what shadows we are, and what shadows we pursue.
I have in general no very exalted opinion of the virtue of paper government.
An event has happened, upon which it is difficult to speak, and impossible to be silent.
I would rather sleep in the southern corner of a little country churchyard, than in the tombs of the Capulets.