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The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke novel. A total of 269 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke.Vol. I.by Edmund Burke.PREFACE.Before the
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke.Vol. I.by Edmund Burke.PREFACE.Before the philosophical works of Lord Bolingbroke had appeared, great things were expected from the leisure of a man, who, from the splendid scene of action in which his talent
- 169 On the 5th December, as a mark of their approbation of Mr. Freeman, who had so plainly contradicted their opinion of Mr. Sulivan, the President and Council agree to appoint him to act as Secretary and Clerk of Appeals, till Mr. Sulivan's answer should ar
- 168 The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke.Vol. VIII.by Edmund Burke.NINTH REPORT From the SELECT COMMITTEE [of the House of Commons] appointed to take into consideration the state of the administration of justice in the provinces of Bengal, Bahar, an
- 167 If we take a review of these ancient const.i.tutions, we shall observe that their sanctions are mostly confined to the following objects.1st. The preservation of the peace. This is one of the largest t.i.tles; and it shows the ancient Saxons to have been
- 166 John swore to submit to the legate in all things relating to his excommunication. And first he was obliged to accept Langton as archbishop; then to restore the monks of Canterbury, and other deprived ecclesiastics, and to make them a full indemnification
- 165 REIGN OF RICHARD I.[Sidenote: Richard I. A.D. 1189]Whilst Henry lived, the King of France had always an effectual means of breaking his power by the divisions in his family. But now Richard succeeded to all the power of his father, with an equal ambition
- 164 The ignorance of the bailiffs in lay courts, who were only possessed of some feudal maxims and the traditions of an uncertain custom, made this recourse to the spiritual courts the more necessary, where they could judge with a little more exactness by the
- 163 Accordingly, he prepared a considerable force for the expedition, and taxed his own subjects, arbitrarily, and without mercy, for the relief he pretended to afford those of his brother. His preparations roused Robert from his indolence, and united likewis
- 162 This war, which was carried on without anything decisive for some time, ended by a very extraordinary and affecting incident. In one of those skirmishes which were frequent according to the irregular mode of warfare in those days, William and his son Robe
- 161 The knowledge of this general disposition in the minds of men will naturally remove a great deal of our wonder at seeing an attempt founded on such slender appearances of right, and supported by a power so little proportioned to the undertaking as that of
- 160 [49] They had no other n.o.bility; yet several families amongst them were considered as n.o.ble.[50] Arma sumere non ante cuiquam moris, quam civitas suffecturum probaverit.--Tacitus de Mor. Germ. 13.[51] Nihil autem neque publicae neque privatae rei nisi
- 159 As there were large tracts throughout the country not subject to the jurisdiction of any thane, the inhabitants of which were probably some remains of the ancient Britons not reduced to absolute slavery, and such Saxons as had not attached themselves to t
- 158 As there was no good order in the English affairs, though continually alarmed, they were always surprised; they were only roused to arms by the cruelty of the enemy, and they were only formed into a body by being driven from their homes: so that they neve
- 157 FOOTNOTES: [47] No Saxon monarch until Athelstan.CHAPTER IV.REIGN OF KING ALFRED.[Sidenote: A.D. 871][Sidenote: A.D. 875]It was in the midst of these distractions that Alfred succeeded to a sceptre which, was threatened every moment to be wrenched from hi
- 156 The marriage of Ethelbert to a Christian princess was, we have seen, a means of introducing Christianity into his dominions. The same influence contributed to extend it in the other kingdoms of the Heptarchy, the sovereigns of which were generally convert
- 155 [26] Neque conjugiis suscipiendis neque alendis liberis sueti, orbas sine posteris domos relinquebant. Non enim, ut olim, universae legiones deducebantur c.u.m tribunis et centurionibus et suis cujusque ordinis militibus, ut consensu et caritate rempublic
- 154 contundent; quatient; procellae ..., disrumpent lapides navigium ejus...."--Hickesii Thesaur. Vol. II. p. 140.[16] Inhabitants of Norfolk and Suffolk.[17] Rem Romanam huc satietate gloriae provectam, ut externis quoque gentibus quietem velit.--Tacit. Ann
- 153 Tiberius came a regular successor to an established government. But his politics were dictated rather by his character than his situation. He was a lawful prince, and he acted on the maxims of an usurper. Having made it a rule never to remove far from the
- 152 CHAPTER II.SOME ACCOUNT OF THE ANCIENT INHABITANTS OF BRITAIN.That Britain was first peopled from Gaul we are a.s.sured by the best proofs,--proximity of situation, and resemblance in language and manners. Of the time in which this event happened we must
- 151 They are not good in tragedy, much less here.The greater virtues, fort.i.tude, justice, and the like, too serious and sublime.It is not every story, every character, every incident, but those only which answer their end.--Painting of artificial things not
- 150 That _t.i.thes_ are due of common right is readily granted; and if this principle had been kept in its original straitness, it might, indeed, be supposed that to plead an exemption was to plead a long-continued _fraud_, and that no man could _be deceived_
- 149 Mr. Dowdeswell did not _bring in an enacting bill to give to juries_, as the account expresses it, _a power to try law and fact in matter of libel_. Mr. Dowdeswell brought in a bill to put an end to those doubts and controversies upon that subject which h
- 148 The more frequently this affair is discussed, the stronger the case appears to the sense and the feelings of mankind. I have no more doubt than I entertain of my existence, that this very thing, which is stated as an horrible thing, is the means of the pr
- 147 But instead of standing upon this ground, they introduce another question wholly foreign to it: Whether it ought not to be submitted to as if it were law? And then the question is,--By the Const.i.tution of this country, what degree of submission is due t
- 146 Does a design against the Const.i.tution of this country exist? If it does, and if it is carried on with increasing vigor and activity by a restless faction, and if it receives countenance by the most ardent and enthusiastic applauses of its object in the
- 145 The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke.Vol. VII.by Edmund Burke.NOTE.The following Speech was occasioned by a pet.i.tion to the House of Commons from certain clergymen of the Church of England, and certain of the two professions of Civil Law and P
- 144 There is no hope for the body of the people of Ireland, as long as those who are in power with you shall make it the great object of their policy to propagate an opinion on this side of the water that the ma.s.s of their countrymen are not to be trusted b
- 143 1793.My dear son,--We are all again a.s.sembled in town, to finish the last, but the most laborious, of the tasks which have been imposed upon me during my Parliamentary service. We are as well as at our time of life we can expect to be. We have, indeed,
- 142 LETTER.[23]My Dear sir,--Your letter is, to myself, infinitely obliging: with regard to you, I can find no fault with it, except that of a tone of humility and disqualification, which neither your rank, nor the place you are in, nor the profession you bel
- 141 The second head upon which I propose to consider those statutes with regard to their object, and which is the next in importance to the magnitude, and of almost equal concern in the inquiry into the justice of these laws, is its possession. It is proper t
- 140 All persons of that persuasion are disabled from taking or purchasing, directly or by a trust, any lands, any mortgage upon land, any rents or profits from land, any lease, interest, or term of any land, any annuity for life or lives or years, or any esta
- 139 Our pet.i.tion arose naturally from distresses which we _felt_; and the requests which we made were in effect nothing more than that such things should be done in Parliament as it was evidently the duty of Parliament to do. But the affair which will be pr
- 138 [Sidenote: Concerning the same.]23. And be it enacted, that, if any negro shall refuse a competent marriage tendered to him, and shall not demand another specifically, such as it may be in his master's power to provide, the master or overseer shall be au
- 137 IV. And whereas the condition of persons in a state of slavery is such that they are utterly unable to take advantage of any remedy which the laws may provide for their protection and the amendment of their condition, and have not the proper means of purs
- 136 [Sidenote: Lands may be purchased.]5. That the said African Company is hereby authorized to purchase, if the same may conveniently be done, with the consent of the Privy Council, any lands adjoining to the fort or princ.i.p.al mart aforesaid, not exceedin
- 135 I have seen what has been done by the West Indian a.s.semblies. It is arrant trifling. They have done little; and what they have done is good for nothing,--for it is totally dest.i.tute of an _executory_ principle.This is the point to which I have applied
- 134 HUMBLY OFFERED TO CONSIDERATION.As the number of persons convicted on account of the late unhappy tumults will probably exceed what any one's idea of vengeance or example would deliver to capital punishment, it is to be wished that the whole business, as
- 133 To JOHN MERLOTT, Esq., Bristol.FOOTNOTES: [19] An eminent merchant in the city of Bristol, of which Mr. Burke was one of the representatives in Parliament.--It relates to the same subject as the preceding Letter.LETTERS AND REFLECTIONS ON THE EXECUTIONS O
- 132 If liberty cannot maintain its ground in this kingdom, I am sure that it cannot have any long continuance in yours. Our liberty might now and then jar and strike a discord with that of Ireland. The thing is possible: but still the instruments might play i
- 131 When that happy hour shall arrive, let us in all affection, recommend to you the wisdom of continuing, as in former times, or even in a more ample measure, the support of your government, and even to give to your administration some degree of reciprocal i
- 130 Instead of any relaxation of the claim of taxing at the discretion of Parliament, your ministers have devised a new mode of enforcing that claim, much more effectual for the oppression of the colonies, though not for your Majesty's service, both as to th
- 129 THE MEASURES OF GOVERNMENT IN THE AMERICAN CONTEST, AND A PROPOSED SECESSION OF THE OPPOSITION FROM PARLIAMENT.JANUARY, 1777.NOTE.This Letter, with the two Addresses which follow it, was written upon occasion of a proposed secession from Parliament of the
- 128 Do you, or does any Irish gentleman, think it a mean privilege, that, the moment he sets his foot upon this ground, he is to all intents and purposes an Englishman? You will not be pleased with a law which by its operation tends to disqualify you from a s
- 127 [11]Hic auratis volitans argenteus anser Porticibus GALLOS in limine adesse canebat.[12] See debates in Parliament upon motions made in both Houses for prosecuting Mr. Reeves for a libel upon the Const.i.tution, Dec., 1795.[13] "In the costume a.s.sumed
- 126 I hear it said, too, that they have lately declared in favor of property. This is exactly of the same sort with the former. What need had they to make this declaration, if they did not know that by their doctrines and practices they had totally subverted
- 125 Here was the answer from the throne of Regicide to the speech from the throne of Great Britain. They go out of their way to compliment General Was.h.i.+ngton on the supposed rancor of his heart towards this country. It is very remarkable, that they make t
- 124 No nation would consent to carry on a war of skepticism. But the fact is, this expression of doubt is only a mode of putting an opinion, when it is not the drift of the author to overturn the doubt. Otherwise, the doubt is never stated as the author's ow
- 123 Three or four of those friends with whom I am most connected in public and private life are pleased to think that the statement in question (which at first made part of a confidential paper) may do good, and accordingly a very large impression will be pub
- 122 The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke.Vol. VI.by Edmund Burke.PREFACE TO THE SECOND POSTHUMOUS VOLUME,[1]IN A LETTER TO THE RIGHT HON. WILLIAM ELLIOT My dear sir,--As some prefatory account of the materials which compose this second posthumous vo
- 121 The present war is, above all others of which we have heard or read, a war against landed property. That description of property is in its nature the firm base of every stable government,--and has been so considered by all the wisest writers of the old ph
- 120 When compulsion may be at all used by a state in borrowing the occasion must determine. But the compulsion ought to be known, and well defined, and well distinguished; for otherwise treaty only weakens the energy of compulsion, while compulsion destroys t
- 119 Then, if it is not to satisfy the foreign powers we make this a.s.surance, to what power at home is it that we pay all this humiliating court? Not to the old Whigs or to the ancient Tories of this kingdom,--if any memory of such ancient divisions still ex
- 118 or, as Dryden translates it, somewhat paraphrastically, but not less in the spirit of the prophet than of the poet,-- "Where the proud theatres disclose the scene, Which interwoven Britons seem to raise, And show the triumph which their shame displays."
- 117 What is truly astonis.h.i.+ng, the partisans of those two opposite systems were at once prevalent, and at once employed, and in the very same transactions, the one ostensibly, the other secretly, during the latter part of the reign of Louis the Fifteenth.
- 116 [33] Declaration, Whitehall, Oct. 29, 1793.LETTER II.ON THE GENIUS AND CHARACTER OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AS IT REGARDS OTHER NATIONS.My dear Sir,--I closed my first letter with serious matter, and I hope it has employed your thoughts. The system of peace
- 115 Would this be the England that you and I, and even strangers, admired, honored, loved, and cherished? Would not the exiles of England alone be my government and my fellow-citizens? Would not their places of refuge be my temporary country? Would not all my
- 114 "And to show to your Majesty and all Christendom that the Commons of England will not be _amused_ or diverted from their firm resolutions of obtaining by WAR a safe and honorable peace, we do, in the name of all those we represent, renew our a.s.surances
- 113 In the records of pride there does not exist so insulting a declaration.It is insolent in words, in manner; but in substance it is not only insulting, but alarming. It is a specimen of what may be expected from the masters we are preparing for our humbled
- 112 Not to lose ourselves in the infinite void of the conjectural world, our business is with what is likely to be affected, for the better or the worse, by the wisdom or weakness of our plans. In all speculations upon men and human affairs, it is of no small
- 111 His Grace's landed possessions are irresistibly inviting to an agrarian experiment. They are a downright insult upon the rights of man. They are more extensive than the territory of many of the Grecian republics; and they are without comparison more fert
- 110 If his Grace can contemplate the result of this complete innovation, or, as some friends of his will call it, _reform_, in the whole body of its solidity and compound ma.s.s, at which, as Hamlet says, the face of heaven glows with horror and indignation,
- 109 As to the lesser articles, they are like the greater. They have followed the fortune of the season. Why are fowls dear? Was not this the farmer's or jobber's fault? I sold from my yard to a jobber six young and lean fowls for four-and-twenty s.h.i.+llin
- 108 The balance between consumption and production makes price. The market settles, and alone can settle, that price. Market is the meeting and conference of the _consumer_ and _producer_, when they mutually discover each other's wants. n.o.body, I believe,
- 107 The great use of government is as a restraint; and there is no restraint which it ought to put upon others, and upon itself too, rather than that which is imposed on the fury of speculating under circ.u.mstances of irritation. The number of idle tales spr
- 106 My dear sir,--I have been told of the voluntary which, for the entertainment of the House of Lords, has been lately played by his Grace the **** of *******, a great deal at my expense, and a little at his own. I confess I should have liked the composition
- 105 Joseph the Second also borrowed the language of philosophy, when he wished to suppress the monks in Belgium, and to seize upon their revenues. There was seen on him a mask only of philosophy, covering the hideous countenance of a greedy despot; and the pe
- 104 Whilst, however, he defends these acts, he is conscious that they will appear in another light to the world. He therefore acquits the executive power, that is, he acquits himself, (but only by his own a.s.sertion,) of those acts of "_vengeance mixed with
- 103 All opposition, from that period to this very session, has proceeded upon the separate measures as they separately arose, without any vindictive retrospect to Mr. Pitt's conduct in 1784. My memory, however, may fail me. I must appeal to the printed debat
- 102 The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke.Vol. V.by Edmund Burke.LETTER TO HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF PORTLAND.MY DEAR LORD,--The paper which I take the liberty of sending to your Grace was, for the greater part, written during the last session. A few day
- 101 "Instead of the pillage of the country and defenceless places, a custom has been subst.i.tuted more humane and more advantageous to the sovereign making war: I mean that of contributions. Whoever carries on _a just war[41] has a right of making the enemy
- 100 [37] The first object of this club was the propagation of Jacobin principles.APPENDIX.EXTRACTS FROM VATTEL'S LAW OF NATIONS.[The t.i.tles, Marginal Abstracts, and Notes are by Mr. BURKE, excepting such of the Notes as are here distinguished.]CASES OF INT
- 99 The world will judge of the spirit of our proceeding in those places of France which may fall into our power by our conduct in those that are already in our hands. Our wisdom should not be vulgar. Other times, perhaps other measures; but in this awful hou
- 98 As no individuals have power and influence, so there are no corporations, whether of lawyers or burghers, existing. The a.s.sembly called Const.i.tuent, destroyed all such inst.i.tutions very early. The primary and secondary a.s.semblies, by their origina
- 97 Eighthly, To give force to these negotiations, an instant naval armament ought to be adopted,--one squadron for the Mediterranean, another for the Channel. The season is convenient,--most of our trade being, as I take it, at home.After speaking of a plan
- 96 That she must lean on France or on England.That it is as much for the interest of Great Britain to prevent the predominancy of a French interest in that kingdom as if Spain were a province of the crown of Great Britain, or a state actually dependent on it
- 95 [Sidenote: Connection of clubs.]Whilst the public ministers are received under the general law of the communication between nations, the correspondences between the factious clubs in France and ours will be, as they now are, kept up; but this pretended em
- 94 They all have some sort of communication, just as much or as little as they please, with the centre. By this confinement of all communication to the ruling faction, any combination, grounded on the abuses and discontents in one, scarcely can reach the oth
- 93 [Sidenote: Ecclesiastical State.]In the States of the Church, notwithstanding their strictness in banis.h.i.+ng the French out of that country, there are not wanting the seeds of a revolution. The spirit of nepotism prevails there nearly as strong as ever
- 92 The political dogma, which, upon the new French system, is to unite the factions of different nations, is this: "That the majority, told by the head, of the taxable people in every country, is the perpetual, natural, unceasing, indefeasible sovereign; th
- 91 TO BE DELIVERED TO MONSIEUR DE M.M.WRITTEN IN THE EARLY PART OF 1791 The King, my master, from his sincere desire of keeping up a good correspondence with his Most Christian Majesty and the French nation, has for some time beheld with concern the conditio
- 90 First, I cannot possibly confound in my mind all the things which were done at the Revolution with the _principles_ of the Revolution. As in most great changes, many things were done from the necessities of the time, well or ill understood, from pa.s.sion
- 89 THE ROMAN CATHOLICS OF IRELAND, THE PROPRIETY OF ADMITTING THEM TO THE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE, CONSISTENTLY WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF THE CONSt.i.tUTION, AS ESTABLISHED AT THE REVOLUTION.1792.My Dear Sir,--Your remembrance of me, with sentiments of so much kindn
- 88 Whether this scheme of indulgence, grounded at once on contempt and jealousy, has a tendency gradually to produce something better and more liberal, I cannot tell, for want of having the actual map of the country. If this should be the case, it was right
- 87 [13] Works, Vol. III. pp. 251-276, present edition.[14] State Trials, Vol. V. p. 651.[15] Page 676.[16] The words necessary to the completion of the sentence are wanting in the printed trial--but the construction of the sentence, as well as the foregoing
- 86 In estimating danger, we are obliged to take into our calculation the character and disposition of the enemy into whose hands we may chance to fall. The genius of this faction is easily discerned, by observing with what a very different eye they have view
- 85 On that hypothesis, let any set of men be strong enough to set their duties at defiance, and they cease to be duties any longer. We have but this one appeal against irresistible power,-- Si genus humanum et mortalia temnitis arma, At sperate Deos memores
- 84 [Sidenote: Princ.i.p.al n.o.bility and gentry well affected to the Church and crown, security against the design of innovation.]"We are confident that no persons can have _such hard thoughts of us_ as to imagine that we have any other design in this unde
- 83 "'Tis plain that the Doctor is not impeached for preaching a general doctrine, and enforcing the general duty of obedience, but for preaching against an _excepted case after he has stated the exception_. He is not impeached for preaching the general doc
- 82 [Sidenote: Commons do not state the limits of submission.][Sidenote: To secure the laws, the only aim of the Revolution.]"In clearing up and vindicating the justice of the Revolution, which was the second thing proposed, it is far from the intent of the
- 81 [Sidenote: That the terms of our Const.i.tution imply and express an original contract.][Sidenote: That the contract is mutual consent, and binding at all times upon the parties.][Sidenote: The mixed Const.i.tution uniformly preserved for many ages, and i
- 80 Against the opinion of many friends, even against the solicitation of some of them, he opposed those of the Church clergy who had pet.i.tioned the House of Commons to be discharged from the subscription. Although he supported the Dissenters in their pet.i
- 79 To say, then, that the book did not contain the sentiments of their party is not to contradict the author or to clear themselves. If the party had denied his doctrines to be the current opinions of the majority in the nation, they would have put the quest
- 78 Opposed to these, in appearance, but in appearance only, is another band, who call themselves _the Moderate_. These, if I conceive rightly of their conduct, are a set of men who approve heartily of the whole new Const.i.tution, but wish to lay heavy on th
- 77 The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke.Vol. IV.by Edmund Burke.A LETTER TO A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL a.s.sEMBLY, IN ANSWER TO SOME OBJECTIONS TO HIS BOOK ON FRENCH AFFAIRS.1791.Sir,--I had the honor to receive your letter of the 17th of November la
- 76 [119] See two books ent.i.tled, "Einige Originalschriften des Illuminatenordens,"--"System und Folgen des Illuminatenordens." Munchen, 1787.[120] A leading member of the a.s.sembly, M. Rabaut de St. etienne, has expressed the principle of all their pr
- 75 _Extract of M. de Lally Tollendal's Second Letter to a Friend_."Parlons du parti que j'ai pris; il est bien justife dans ma conscience.--Ni cette ville coupable, ni cette a.s.semblee plus coupable encore, ne meritoient que je me justifie; mais j'ai a
- 74 Well! but a lessening of prodigal expenses, and the economy which has been introduced by the virtuous and sapient a.s.sembly, make amends for the losses sustained in the receipt of revenue. In this at least they have fulfilled the duty of a financier.--Ha
- 73 The parliaments were not wholly free from faction, I admit; but this evil was exterior and accidental, and not so much the vice of their const.i.tution itself as it must be in your new contrivance of s.e.xennial elective judicatories. Several English comm
- 72 You see I only consider this Const.i.tution as electoral, and leading by steps to the National a.s.sembly. I do not enter into the internal government of the departments, and their genealogy through the communes and cantons. These local governments are, i
- 71 I shall here only consider it as a transfer of property. On the policy of that transfer I shall trouble you with a few thoughts.In every prosperous community something more is produced than goes to the immediate support of the producer. This surplus forms
- 70 Whoever has examined into the proceedings of that deposed government for several years back cannot fail to have observed, amidst the inconstancy and fluctuation natural to courts, an earnest endeavor towards the prosperity and improvement of the country;