Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke
Edmund Burkewas an Irish statesman born in Dublin, as well as an author, orator, political theorist, and philosopher who, after moving to London, served as a member of parliamentfor many years in the House of Commons with the Whig Party...
NationalityIrish
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth12 January 1729
CountryIreland
quality causes vices
Prudence is a quality incompatible with vice, and can never be effectively enlisted in its cause.
causes taste judgment
The cause of a wrong taste is a defect of judgment.
excess causes ridiculous
The love of lucre, though sometimes carried to a ridiculous excess, a vicious excess, is the grand cause of prosperity to all States.
games mind causes
By looking into physical causes our minds are opened and enlarged; and in this pursuit, whether we take or whether we lose the game, the chase is certainly of service.
causes thrones mystery
That great chain of causes, which, linking one to another, even to the throne of God Himself, can never be unraveled by any industry of ours.
powerful causes enthusiasm
Religion is among the most powerful causes of enthusiasm.
differences sublime causes
There is a wide difference between admiration and love. The sublime, which is the cause of the former, always dwells on great objects and terrible; the latter on small ones and pleasing; we submit to what we admire, but we love what submits to us: in one case we are forced, in the other, we are flattered, into compliance.
men humanity causes
I own that there is a haughtiness and fierceness in human nature which will cause innumerable broils, place men in what situation you please.
anxious confident despised ruined security
Better to be despised for too anxious apprehensions, than be ruined by too confident a security
change means state
A state without some means of change is without the means of its conservation
bullying freedom work
The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse.
government unjust oppressive-governments
Nothing turns out to be so oppressive and unjust as a feeble government.
heart keeps shame virtue whilst wholly
Whilst shame keeps its watch, virtue is not wholly extinguished in the heart
air breathe corrupt exalt importance manners refine
Manners are of more importance than laws... 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.