There is nothing that God has judged good for us that He has not given us the means to accomplish, both in the natural and the moral world. Edmund Burke More Quotes by Edmund Burke More Quotes From Edmund Burke To drive men from independence to live on alms, is itself great cruelty. Edmund Burke welfare independence men You will not think it unnatural that those who have an object depending, which strongly engages their hopes and fears, should be somewhat inclining to superstition. Edmund Burke superstitions should thinking I consider how little man is, yet, in his own mind, how great. He is lord and master of all things, yet scarce can command anything. Edmund Burke mind littles men An entire life of solitude contradicts the purpose of our being, since death itself is scarcely an idea of more terror. Edmund Burke solitude purpose ideas Prudence is a quality incompatible with vice, and can never be effectively enlisted in its cause. Edmund Burke quality causes vices Magnificence is likewise a source of the sublime. A great profusion of things which are splendid or valuable in themselves is magnificent. The starry heaven, though it occurs so very frequently to our view, never fails to excite an idea of grandeur. Edmund Burke stars views ideas Whenever government abandons law, it proclaims anarchy. Edmund Burke anarchy government law Nothing so effectually deadens the taste of the sublime as that which is light and radiant. Edmund Burke sublime light taste One source of the sublime is infinity. Edmund Burke sublime source infinity The marketplace obliges men, whether they will or not, in pursuing their own selfish interests, to connect the general good with their own individual success. Edmund Burke selfish success men The very name of a politician, a statesman, is sure to cause terror and hatred; it has always connected with it the ideas of treachery, cruelty, fraud, and tyranny. Edmund Burke hatred names ideas It is very rare, indeed, for men to be wrong in their feelings concerning public misconduct; as rare to be right in their speculations upon the cause of it. I have constantly observed that the generality of people are fifty years, at least, behind in their politics. Edmund Burke men people years Man is an animal that cooks his victuals. Edmund Burke cooks animal men Falsehood and delusion are allowed in no case whatever; but, as in the exercise of all the virtues, there is an economy of truth. It is a sort of temperance, by which a man speaks truth with measure, that he may speak it the longer. Edmund Burke truth exercise men Those who quit their proper character to assume what does not belong to them are, for the greater part, ignorant both of the character they leave and of the character they assume. Edmund Burke ignorant doe character A great deal of the furniture of ancient tyranny is torn to rags; the rest is entirely out of fashion. Edmund Burke rags furniture fashion By this unprincipled facility of changing the state as often, and as much, and in as many ways as there are floating fancies or fashions, the whole chain and continuity of the commonwealth would be broken. No one generation could link with the other. Men would become little better than the flies of a summer. Edmund Burke fashion change summer The science of constructing a commonwealth, or renovating it, or reforming it, is, like every other experimental science, not to be taught a priori. Nor is it a short experience that can instruct us in that practical science, because the real effects of moral causes are not always immediate. Edmund Burke political real practice In doing good, we are generally cold, and languid, and sluggish; and of all things afraid of being too much in the right. But theworks of malice and injustice are quite in another style. They are finished with a bold, masterly hand; touched as they are with the spirit of those vehement passions that call forth all our energies, whenever we oppress and persecute. Edmund Burke style passion hands Society is indeed a contract. ... It is a partnership in all science; a partnership in all art; a partnership in every virtue, and in all perfection. Edmund Burke society perfection art
