An entire life of solitude contradicts the purpose of our being, since death itself is scarcely an idea of more terror. Edmund Burke More Quotes by Edmund Burke More Quotes From Edmund Burke Parliament is a deliberate assembly of one nation, with one interest, that of the whole; where, not local purpose, not local prejudices ought to guide but the general good, resulting from the general reason of the whole. Edmund Burke prejudice purpose reason One that confounds good and evil is an enemy to good. Edmund Burke good-and-evil evil enemy As mankind becomes more enlightened to know their real interests, they will esteem the value of agriculture; they will find it in their natural--their destined occupation. Edmund Burke agriculture occupation real Evils we have had continually calling for reformation, and reformations more grievous than any evils. Edmund Burke reformation calling evil Religion is for the man in humble life, and to raise his nature, and to put him in mind of a state in which the privileges of opulence will cease, when he will be equal by nature, and may be more than equal by virtue. Edmund Burke humble mind men Society is indeed a contract. Subordinate contracts for objects of mere occasional interest may be dissolved at pleasure - but the state ought not to be considered as nothing better than a partnership agreement in a trade of pepper and coffee, calico, or tobacco, or some other such low concern, to be taken up for a little temporary interest, and to be dissolved by the fancy of the parties. It is to be looked on with other reverence, because it is not a partnership in things subservient only to the gross animal existence of a temporary and perishable nature. Edmund Burke coffee party taken There is nothing in the world really beneficial that does not lie within the reach of an informed understanding and a well-protected pursuit. Edmund Burke understanding doe lying No men can act with effect who do not act in concert; no men can act in concert who do not act with confidence; no men can act with confidence who are not bound together with common opinions, common affections, and common interests. Edmund Burke opinion together men The liberty I mean is social freedom. It is that state of things in which liberty is secured by the equality of restraint. A constitution of things in which the liberty of no one man, and no body of men, and no number of men, can find means to trespass on the liberty of any person, or any description of persons, in the society. This kind of liberty is, indeed, but another name for justice. Edmund Burke men philosophy mean Though ugliness be the opposite of beauty, it is not the opposite to proportion and fitness; for it is possible that a thing may be very ugly with any proportions, and with a perfect fitness for any use. Edmund Burke ugly perfect opposites Greater mischief happens often from folly, meanness, and vanity than from the greater sins of avarice and ambition. Edmund Burke vanity sin ambition Wise men will apply their remedies to vices, not to names; to the causes of evil which are permanent, not the occasional organs by which they act, and the transitory modes in which they appear. Edmund Burke wise names men Virtue will catch as well as vice by contact; and the public stock of honest manly principle will daily accumulate. We are not too nicely to scrutinize motives as long as action is irreproachable. It is enough (and for a worthy man perhaps too much) to deal out its infamy to convicted guilt and declared apostasy. Edmund Burke guilt men long The blood of man should never be shed but to redeem the blood of man. It is well shed for our family, for our friends, for our God, for our country, for our kind. The rest is vanity; the rest is crime. Edmund Burke men war country Thank God, men that art greatly guilty are never wise. Edmund Burke wisdom wise art Nothing ought to be more weighed than the nature of books recommended by public authority. So recommended, they soon form the character of the age. Edmund Burke age character book Economy is a distributive virtue, and consists not in saving but selection. Parsimony requires no providence, no sagacity, no powers of combination, no comparison, no judgment. Edmund Burke judgment saving virtue I despair of ever receiving the same degree of pleasure from the most exalted performances of genius which I felt in childhood from pieces which my present judgment regards as trifling and contemptible. Edmund Burke childhood despair romance The wise determine from the gravity of the case; the irritable, from sensibility to oppression; the high minded, from disdain and indignation at abusive power in unworthy hands. Edmund Burke oppression wise hands By the disposition of a stupendous wisdom, moulding together the great mysterious incorporation of the human race, the whole, at one time, is never old, or middle-aged, or young; but, in a condition of unchangeable constancy, moves on through the varied tenor of perpetual decay, fall, renovation, and progression. Edmund Burke race fall moving
