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Selections from the Speeches and Writings of Edmund Burke

Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)

There can be no hesitation in according to him a station among the most extraordinary men that ever appeared; and we think there is now but little diversity of opinion as to the kind of place which it is fit to assign him. He was a writer of the first class, and excelled in almost every kind of composition. Possessed of most extensive knowledge, and of the most various description; acquainted alike with what different classes of men knew, each in his own province, and with much that hardly any one ever thought of learning; he could either bring his masses of information to bear directly upon the subjects to which they severally belonged,—or he could avail himself of them generally to strengthen his faculties, and enlarge his views,—or he could turn any of them to account for the purpose of illustrating his theme, or enriching his diction. Hence, when he is handling any one matter, we perceive that we are conversing with a reasoner or a teacher, to whom almost every other branch of knowledge is familiar: his views range over all the cognate objects; his reasonings are derived from principles applicable to other themes, as well as the one in hand; arguments pour in from all sides, as well as those which start up under our feet,—the natural growth of the path he is leading us over; while to throw light round our steps, and either explore its darkest places, or serve for our recreation; illustrations are fetched from a thousand quarters, and an imagination marvelously quick to descry unthought of resemblances, points to our use the stores, which a love yet more marvelously has gathered from all ages and nations, and arts and tongues. - Summary by Sir James Mackintosh

Genre(s): Political Science, Short non-fiction

Language: English

Section	Chapter	Reader	Time
Play 01	Introductory Essay	InTheDesert	00:38:05
Play 02	Appendix	InTheDesert	00:04:40
Play 03	Nature and Functions of the House of Commons — Retrospect and Resignation — Modesty of Mind — Newton and Nature — Theory and Practice	Elijah Fisher	00:08:41
Play 04	Induction and Comparison — Divine Power on the Human Idea — Union of Love and Dread in Religion — Office of Sympathy — Words	Elijah Fisher	00:05:45
Play 05	Nature Anticipates Man — Self — Inspection — Power of the Obscure — Female Beauty — Novelty and Curiosity	Elijah Fisher	00:04:48
Play 06	Pleasures of Analogy — Ambition — Extensions of Sympathy — Philosophy of Taste — Clearness and Strength in Style	Ariphron	00:05:12
Play 07	Unity of Imagination — Effect of Words — Investigation — Sublime — Obscurity	Ariphron	00:04:52
Play 08	Principles of Taste — the Beautiful — the Real and the Ideal — Judgment in Art — Moral Effects of Language	Ariphron	00:07:45
Play 09	Security of Truth — Imitation an Instinctive Law — Standard of Reason and Taste — Use of Theory — Political Outcasts	earl	00:05:36
Play 10	Injustice to Our Own Age — False Coalitions — Political Empiricism — a Visionary — Party Divisions	earl	00:06:35
Play 11	Decorum in Party — not So Bad as We Seem — Politics Without Principle — Moral Debasement Progressive — Despotism	earl	00:06:08
Play 12	Judgment and Policy — Popular Discontent — the People and Their Rulers — Government Favouritism — Administration and Legislation	Bob Goodwin	00:06:00
Play 13	Influence of the Crown — Voice of the People — Fallacy of Extremes — Private Character a Basis for Public Confidence — Prevention	drandall	00:08:28
Play 14	Confidence in the People — False Maxims Assumed as First Principles — Lord Chatham — Grenville — Charles Townshend	drandall	00:16:31
Play 15	Party and Place — Political Connections — Neutrality — Weakness in Government — American Progress	Ted Lienhart	00:10:05
Play 16	Combination, not Faction — Great Men — Power of Constituents — Influence of Place in Government — Taxation Involves Principle	Ted Lienhart	00:07:10
Play 17	Good Member of Parliament — Fisheries of New England — Preparation for Parliament — Bathurst and America's Future — Candid Policy	Ted Lienhart	00:10:28
Play 18	Wisdom of Concession — Magnanimity — Duty of Representatives — Prudential Silence — Colonial Ties	Ted Lienhart	00:04:52
Play 19	Government and Legislation — Parliament — Moral Levellers — Public Salary and Patriotic Service — Rational Liberty	Ted Lienhart	00:08:42
Play 20	Ireland and Magna Charta — Colonies and British Constitution — Reciprocal Confidence — Pensions and the Crown — Colonial Progress	Steve C	00:12:31
Play 21	Feudal Principles and Modern Times — Restrictive Virtues — Libellers of Human Nature — Refusal a Revenue — a Party Man	Ted Lienhart	00:11:35
Play 22	Patriotism and Public Income — American Protestantism — Right of Taxation — Contracted Views — Assimilating Power of Contact	Ted Lienhart	00:09:42
Play 23	Prudence of Timely Reform — Difficulties of Reformers — Philosophy of Commerce — Theorizing Politicians — Economy and Public Spirit	Ted Lienhart	00:08:35
Play 24	Reform Ought to Be Progressive — Civil Freedom — Tendencies of Power — Individual Good and Public Benefit — Public Corruption	Ted Lienhart	00:07:00
Play 25	Cruelty and Cowardice — Bad Laws Produce Base Subserviency — False Regret — British Dominion in East India — Political Charity	Ted Lienhart	00:12:20
Play 26	Evils of Distraction — Charles Fox — the Impracticable Undesirable — Constitution of the Commons — Emoluments of Office	Ted Lienhart	00:10:21
Play 27	Moral Distinctions — Electors and Representatives — Popular Opinion a Fallacious Standard — English Reformation — Proscription	Ted Lienhart	00:10:21
Play 28	Just Freedom — England's Embassy to America — Howard, the Philanthropist — Parliamentary Retrospect — People and Parliament	Ted Lienhart	00:08:09
Play 29	Reformed Civil List — French and English Revolution — Armed Discipline — Gilded Despotism — Our French Dangers	Ted Lienhart	00:10:59
Play 30	Sir George Saville — Corruption not Self — Reformed — the Bribed and the Bribers — Hyder Ali — Reformation and Anarchy Contrasted and Compared	Ted Lienhart	00:14:14
Play 31	Confidence and Jealousy — Economy of Injustice — Subsistence and Revenue — Authority and Venality — Prerogative of the Crown and Privilege of Parliament	Ted Lienhart	00:09:24
Play 32	Burke and Fox — Peers and Commons — Natural Self — Destruction — the Carnatic — Abstract Theory of Human Liberty	Ted Lienhart	00:14:08
Play 33	Politics and the Pulpit — Idea of French Revolution — Patriotic Distinction — Kingly Power not Based on Popular Choice — Preaching Democracy of Dissent	Ted Lienhart	00:12:10
Play 34	Jargon of Republicanism — Conservative Progress of Inherited Freedom — Conservation and Correction — Hereditary Succession of English Crown — Limits of Legislative Capacity	Ted Lienhart	00:16:25
Play 35	Our Constitution, not Fabricated, But Inherited — Low Aims and Low Instruments — House of Commons Contrasted with National Assembly — Property, More Than Ability, Represented in Parliament — Virtue and Wisdom Qualify for Government	Ted Lienhart	00:22:17
Play 36	Natural and Civil Rights — Marie Antoinette — Spirit of a Gentleman and the Spirit of Religion — Power Survives Opinion — Chivalry a Moralizing Charm	Ted Lienhart	00:21:46
Play 37	Sacredness of Moral Instincts — Parental Experience — Revolutionary Scene — Economy on State Principles — Philosophical Vanity; Its Maxims, and Effects	Ariphron	00:41:22
Play 38	Unity Between Church and State — Triple Basis of French Revolution — Correspondent System of Manners and Morals — Ferocity of Jacobinism — Voice of Oppression	Ariphron	00:19:31
Play 39	Britain Vindicated in Her War with France — Polish and French Revolution — Europe in 1789 — Atheism Cannot Repent — Outward Dignity of the Church Defended	Ted Lienhart	00:20:38
Play 40	Danger of Abstract Views — Appeal to Impartiality — Historical Estimate of Louis Xvi — Negative Religion a Nullity — Antechamber of Regicide	Ted Lienhart	00:14:45
Play 41	Tremendousness of War — English Officers — Diplomacy of Humiliation — Relation of Wealth to National Dignity — Ambassadors of Infamy	Ted Lienhart	00:13:34
Play 42	Difficulty the Path to Glory — Robespierre and His Counterparts — Accumulation, a State Principle — Warning for a Nation — Santerre and Tallien	Ted Lienhart	00:17:16
Play 43	Sir Sydney Smith — a Moral Distinction — Infidels and Their Policy — What a Minister Should Attempt — Law of Vicinity	Ted Lienhart	00:21:20
Play 44	European Community — Perils of Jacobin Peace — Parliamentary and Regal Prerogative — Burke's Design in His Greatest Work — Lord Keppel	Ted Lienhart	00:24:36
Play 45	"Labouring Poor" — State Consecrated by the Church — Fate of Louis XVIII — Nobility — Legislation and Republicans	Ted Lienhart	00:22:49
Play 46	Principle of State-Consecration — British Stability — Literary Atheists — City of Paris — Principle of Church Property	Ted Lienhart	00:23:20
Play 47	Parsimony not Economy — Majesty of the British Constitution — Duty not Based on Will — Ecclesiastical Confiscation — Moral of History	Ted Lienhart	00:17:34
Play 48	Use of Defects in History — Social Contract — Prescriptive Rights — Madness of Innovation — the State, Its Own Revenue	Ted Lienhart	00:16:11
Play 49	Metaphysical Depravity — Personal and Ancestral Claims — Monastic and Philosophic Superstition — Difficulty and Wisdom of Corporate Reform — Distinctive Character of English Protestantism	Ted Lienhart	00:18:24
Play 50	Fictitious Liberty — French Ignorance of English Character — the "People," and "Omnipotence" of Parliament — Magnanimity of English People — True Basis of Civil Society	Ted Lienhart	00:13:11
Play 51	Rousseau — Moral Heroes — Kingdom of France — Grievance and Opinion — Perplexity and Policy	Ted Lienhart	00:13:49
Play 52	Historical Instruction — Montesquieu — Articles, and Scripture — Problem of Legislation — Order, Labour, and Property	Ted Lienhart	00:10:31
Play 53	Regicidal Legislature — Government not to Be Rashly Censured — Etiquette — Ancient Establishments — Sentiment and Policy	Hedwig819	00:10:51
Play 54	Patriotism — Necessity, a Relative Term — King John and the Pope — Consumption and Produce — "Priests of the Rights of Man"	Elijah Fisher	00:13:12
Play 55	"His Grace" — Speculation and History — Labour and Wages — a Complete Revolution — British Government in India	Ted Lienhart	00:27:15
Play 56	Money and Science — Political Axioms — Disappointed Ambition — Difficulty an Instructor — Sovereign Jurisdictions	mleigh	00:22:28
Play 57	Prudery of False Reform — Exaggeration — Tactics of Cabal — Government, Relative, not Absolute — General Views	mleigh	00:21:04
Play 58	Magnitude in Building — Society and Solitude — East — India Bill and Company — Parliaments and Elections — Religion and Magistracy	Ted Lienhart	00:28:35
Play 59	Persecution, False in Theory — Irish Legislation — Henry of Navarre — Test Acts — What Faction Ought to Teach	Elijah Fisher	00:11:21
Play 60	Grievances by Law — Revolutionary Politics — Toleration Become Intolerant — Wilkes and Right of Election — Rockingham and Conway	Ted Lienhart	00:30:27
Play 61	Politics in the Pulpit — William the Conqueror — King Alfred — Druids — Saxon Conquest and Conversion	Ted Lienhart	00:32:59
Play 62	Ministerial Responsibility — Monastic Institutions and Their Results — Common Law and Magna Charta — Europe and the Norman Invasion — Ancient Inhabitants of Britain	Elijah Fisher	00:57:01
Play 63	Public Prosecutions — True Nature of a Jacobin War — National Dignity — Principles of Government not Absolute, But Relative — Declaration of 1793	Ted Lienhart	00:27:08
Play 64	Moral Diet — King William's Policy — Distemper of Remedy — War and Will of the People — False Policy in Our French War	Remy	00:18:09
Play 65	Moral Essence Makes a Nation — Public Spirit — Progressive Growth of Christian States — Petty Interests — Pius Vii	mleigh	00:16:47
Play 66	Extinction of Local Patriotism — Walpole and His Policy — Political Peace — Public Loans — Historical Strictures	Ted Lienhart	00:31:01
Play 67	Constitution not the People's Slave — Modern "Lights" — Republics in the Abstract — an English Monarch — Physiognomy	Elijah Fisher	00:14:08
Play 68	The Eye — Abolition and Use of Parliaments — Cromwell and His Contrasts — Delicacy — Confiscation and Currency	Ted Lienhart	00:23:24
Play 69	"Omnipotence of Church Plunder" — Ugliness — Grace — Elegance and Speciousness — the Beautiful in Feeling	Ted Lienhart	00:09:25
Play 70	The Beautiful in Sounds — British Church	Ted Lienhart	00:08:47

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Selections from the Speeches and Writings of Edmund Burke