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Edmund Burke Quotes - Page 11

All Quotes Abuse Adversity Affection Age Aids Ambition Anarchy Army Art Atheism Beauty Business Change Character Charity Church Community Confusion Corruption Country Creation Crime Curiosity Democracy Design Desire Duty Economy Encouragement Energy Enthusiasm Evil Exercise Failing Fear Feelings Flattery Freedom Giving Greatness Hate Healing Heart History House Human Nature Humanity Hypocrisy Imagination Injustice Inspiration Inspirational Judging Judgment Justice Language Liberty Life Losing Love Lying Mankind Military Morality Motivational Nature Oppression Pain Passion Past Peace Perfection Perseverance Planning Pleasure Politics Power Prejudice Pride Property Prosperity Purpose Quality Reality Religion Revolution Sacrifice Society Solitude Soul Struggle Style Success Suffering Talent Teaching Time Trade Treason Tyranny Understanding Virtue War Weakness Wealth Wisdom

The body of all true religion consists, to be sure, in obedience to the will of the Sovereign of the world, in a confidence in His declarations, and in imitation of His perfections.

The body of all true religion consists, to be sure, in obedience to the will of the Sovereign of the world, in a confidence in His declarations, and in imitation of His perfections.

Perfection, Religion, World

Edmund Burke, Robert MONTGOMERY (Author of “Satan.”.) (1853). “Edmund Burke: being first principles selected from his writings. With an introductory essay by Robert Montgomery”, p.232

In all forms of government the people is the true legislator.

Government, People, Form

'A Tract on the Popery Laws' ch. 3, pt. 1 in 'The Works' vol. 5 (1812)

Whatever is fitted in any sort to excite the ideas of pain and danger, that is to say, whatever is in any sort terrible, or is conversant about terrible objects, or operates in a manner analogous to terror, is a source of the sublime; that is, it is productive of the strongest emotion which the mind is capable of feeling... When danger or pain press too nearly, they are incapable of giving any delight, and are simply terrible; but at certain distances, and with certain modifications, they may be, and they are, delightful, as we every day experience.

Pain, Ideas, Giving

"A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful". Treatise by Edmund Burke, www.bartleby.com. 1757.

God has sometimes converted wickedness into madness; and it is to the credit of human reason that men who are not in some degree mad are never capable of being in the highest degree wicked.

Men, Mad, Wicked

Edmund Burke (1852). “The Works and Correspondence of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke”, p.259

To innovate is not to reform.

Innovation, Reform, Reformation

A Letter to a Noble Lord (1796)

Ambition can creep as well as soar.

Business, Ambition, Creeps

'Letters on a Regicide Peace' Letter 3 (1797)

Free trade is not based on utility but on justice.

Justice, Trade, Free Trade

"Thoughts and Details on Scarcity" by Edmund Burke, 1795.

The starry heaven, though it occurs so very frequently to our view, never fails to excite an idea of grandeur. This cannot be owing to the stars themselves, separately considered. The number is certainly the cause. The apparent disorder augments the grandeur, for the appearance of care is highly contrary to our ideas of magnificence. Besides, the stars lie in such apparent confusion, as makes it impossible on ordinary occasions to reckon them. This gives them the advantage of a sort of infinity.

Stars, Lying, Views

Edmund Burke (1871). “The Works of the Right Honorable Edmund Burke”, p.154

The science of constructing a commonwealth or renovating it, or reforming it, is...not to be taught a priori...That which in the first instance is prejudicial may be excellent in its remoter operation, and its excellence may rise even from the ill effects it produces in the beginning. The reverse also happens; and very plausible schemes, with very pleasing commencements, have often shameful and lamentable conclusions.

Government, Excellence, May

If any ask me what a free government is, I answer, that, for any practical purpose, it is what the people think so,and that they, and not I, are the natural, lawful, and competent judges of this matter.

Thinking, Government, Judging

Edmund Burke (1852). “The Works and Correspondence of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke”, p.321

Whilst shame keeps its watch, virtue is not wholly extinguished in the heart; nor will moderation be utterly exiled from the minds of tyrants.

Heart, Tyrants, Mind

Edmund Burke (1963). “Edmund Burke: Selected Writings and Speeches”, p.581, Transaction Publishers

The power of perpetuating our property in our families is one of the most valuable and interesting circumstances belonging to it, and that which tends most to the perpetuation of society itself. It makes our weakness subservient to our virtue; it grafts benevolence even upon avarice. The possession of family wealth and of the distinction which attends hereditary possessions (as most concerned in it,) are the natural securities for this transmission.

Interesting, Ancestry, Weakness

Edmund Burke (1912). “Reflections on the French Revolution”, p.51, CUP Archive

Custom reconciles us to everything.

Tradition, Reconcile, Customs

'On the Sublime and Beautiful' (1757) pt. 4, sect. 18

Reflect how you are to govern a people who think they ought to be free, and think they are not. Your scheme yields no revenue; it yields nothing but discontent, disorder, disobedience; and such is the state of America, that after wading through up to your eyes in blood, you could only end up where you begun; that is, to tax where no revenue is to be found... all is confusion beyond it.

Eye, Thinking, Blood

Edmund Burke (1919). “Speech on Conciliation with America”

Hypocrisy is no cheap vice; nor can our natural temper be masked for many years together.

Years, Hypocrisy, Together

Edmund Burke (1852). “The Works and Correspondence Of...Edmund Burke”, p.149

Under the pressure of the cares and sorrows of our mortal condition, men have at all times, and in all countries, called in some physical aid to their moral consolations - wine, beer, opium, brandy, or tobacco.

Country, Wine, Beer

Edmund Burke (1834). “The works of ... Edmund Burke”, p.256

Thank God, men that art greatly guilty are never wise.

Wise, Wisdom, Art

Next to love, Sympathy is the divinest passion of the human heart.

Sympathy, Condolences, Passion

Frugality is founded on the principal that all riches have limits.

Riches, Limits, Frugality

There are some men formed with feelings so blunt that they can hardly be said to be awake during the whole course of their lives.

Men, Empathy, Feelings

Edmund Burke (2016). “Delphi Complete Works of Edmund Burke (Illustrated)”, p.76, Delphi Classics

An appearance of delicacy, and even fragility, is almost essential to beauty.

Beauty, Essentials, Fragility

Edmund Burke (1824). “A Philosophical Inquiry Into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful”, p.121

Gambling is a principle inherent in human nature.

Gambling, Principles, Human Nature

Evil succeeds when good men do nothing

Men, Evil, Good Man

They [Americans] augur misgovernment at a distance and snuff the approach of tyranny in every tainted breeze.

Distance, Snuff, Breeze

"On Moving His Resolutions for Conciliation with the Colonies," 22 Mar. 1775

He had no failings which were not owing to a noble cause; to an ardent, generous, perhaps an immoderate passion for fame; a passion which is the instinct of all great souls.

Passion, Soul, Causes

William Pitt (Earl of Chatham), Edmund Burke, Thomas Erskine Baron Erskine, Jean Gabriel Peltier (1834). “Celebrated Speeches of Chatham, Burke, and Erskine: To which is Added the Arguement of Mr. Mackintosh in the Case of Peltier”, p.87

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