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Selections from the Speeches and Writings of Edmund Burke

by Edmund Burke

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  1. 1Introductory Essay
  2. 2Appendix
  3. 3Nature and Functions of the House of Commons
  4. 4Retrospect and Resignation
  5. 5Modesty of Mind
  6. 6Newton and Nature
  7. 7Theory and Practice
  8. 8Induction and Comparison
  9. 9Divine Power on the Human Idea
  10. 10Union of Love and Dread in Religion
  11. 11Office of Sympathy
  12. 12Words
  13. 13Nature Anticipates Man
  14. 14Self-Inspection
  15. 15Power of the Obscure
  16. 16Female Beauty
  17. 17Novelty and Curiosity
  18. 18Pleasures of Analogy
  19. 19Ambition
  20. 20Extensions of Sympathy
  21. 21Philosophy of Taste
  22. 22Clearness and Strength in Style
  23. 23Unity of Imagination
  24. 24Effect of Words
  25. 25Investigation
  26. 26The Sublime
  27. 27Obscurity
  28. 28Principles of Taste
  29. 29The Beautiful
  30. 30The Real and the Ideal
  31. 31Judgment in Art
  32. 32Moral Effects of Language
  33. 33Security of Truth
  34. 34Imitation an Instinctive Law
  35. 35Standard of Reason and Taste
  36. 36Use of Theory
  37. 37Political Outcasts
  38. 38Injustice to Our Own Age
  39. 39False Coalitions
  40. 40Political Empiricism
  41. 41A Visionary
  42. 42Party Divisions
  43. 43Decorum in Party
  44. 44Not So Bad as We Seem
  45. 45Politics Without Principle
  46. 46Moral Debasement Progressive
  47. 47Despotism
  48. 48Judgment and Policy
  49. 49Popular Discontent
  50. 50The People and Their Rulers
  51. 51Government Favouritism
  52. 52Administration and Legislation
  53. 53Influence of the Crown
  54. 54Voice of the People
  55. 55Fallacy of Extremes
  56. 56Private Character a Basis for Public Confidence
  57. 57Prevention
  58. 58Confidence in the People
  59. 59False Maxims Assumed as First Principles
  60. 60Lord Chatham
  61. 61Grenville
  62. 62Charles Townshend
  63. 63Party and Place
  64. 64Political Connections
  65. 65Neutrality
  66. 66Weakness in Government
  67. 67American Progress
  68. 68Combination, Not Faction
  69. 69Great Men
  70. 70Power of Constituents
  71. 71Influence of Place in Government
  72. 72Taxation Involves Principle
  73. 73Good Member of Parliament
  74. 74Fisheries of New England
  75. 75Preparation for Parliament
  76. 76Bathurst and America’s Future
  77. 77Candid Policy
  78. 78Wisdom of Concession
  79. 79Magnanimity
  80. 80Duty of Representatives
  81. 81Prudential Silence
  82. 82Colonial Ties
  83. 83Government and Legislation
  84. 84Parliament
  85. 85Moral Levellers
  86. 86Public Salary and Patriotic Service
  87. 87Rational Liberty
  88. 88Ireland and Magna Charta
  89. 89Colonies and British Constitution
  90. 90Reciprocal Confidence
  91. 91Pensions and the Crown
  92. 92Colonial Progress
  93. 93Feudal Principles and Modern Times
  94. 94Restrictive Virtues
  95. 95Libellers of Human Nature
  96. 96Refusal a Revenue
  97. 97A Party Man
  98. 98Patriotism and Public Income
  99. 99American Protestantism
  100. 100Right of Taxation
  101. 101Contracted Views
  102. 102Assimilating Power of Contact
  103. 103Prudence of Timely Reform
  104. 104Difficulties of Reformers
  105. 105Philosophy of Commerce
  106. 106Theorizing Politicians
  107. 107Economy and Public Spirit
  108. 108Reform Ought to Be Progressive
  109. 109Civil Freedom
  110. 110Tendencies of Power
  111. 111Individual Good and Public Benefit
  112. 112Public Corruption
  113. 113Cruelty and Cowardice
  114. 114Bad Laws Produce Base Subserviency
  115. 115False Regret
  116. 116British Dominion in East India
  117. 117Political Charity
  118. 118Evils of Distraction
  119. 119Charles Fox
  120. 120The Impracticable Undesirable
  121. 121Constitution of the Commons
  122. 122Emoluments of Office
  123. 123Moral Distinctions
  124. 124Electors and Representatives
  125. 125Popular Opinion a Fallacious Standard
  126. 126English Reformation
  127. 127Proscription
  128. 128Just Freedom
  129. 129England’s Embassy to America
  130. 130Howard, the Philanthropist
  131. 131Parliamentary Retrospect
  132. 132People and Parliament
  133. 133Reformed Civil List
  134. 134French and English Revolution
  135. 135Armed Discipline
  136. 136Gilded Despotism
  137. 137Our French Dangers
  138. 138Sir George Saville
  139. 139Corruption Not Self-Reformed
  140. 140The Bribed and the Bribers
  141. 141Hyder Ali
  142. 142Reformation and Anarchy Contrasted and Compared
  143. 143Confidence and Jealousy
  144. 144Economy of Injustice
  145. 145Subsistence and Revenue
  146. 146Authority and Venality
  147. 147Prerogative of the Crown and Privilege of Parliament
  148. 148Burke and Fox
  149. 149Peers and Commons
  150. 150Natural Self-Destruction
  151. 151The Carnatic
  152. 152Abstract Theory of Human Liberty
  153. 153Politics and the Pulpit
  154. 154Idea of French Revolution
  155. 155Patriotic Distinction
  156. 156Kingly Power Not Based on Popular Choice
  157. 157Preaching Democracy of Dissent
  158. 158Jargon of Republicanism
  159. 159Conservative Progress of Inherited Freedom
  160. 160Conservation and Correction
  161. 161Hereditary Succession of English Crown
  162. 162Limits of Legislative Capacity
  163. 163Our Constitution, Not Fabricated, but Inherited
  164. 164Low Aims and Low Instruments
  165. 165House of Commons Contrasted With National Assembly
  166. 166Property, More Than Ability, Represented in Parliament
  167. 167Virtue and Wisdom Qualify for Government
  168. 168Natural and Civil Rights
  169. 169Marie Antoinette
  170. 170Spirit of a Gentleman and the Spirit of Religion
  171. 171Power Survives Opinion
  172. 172Chivalry a Moralizing Charm
  173. 173Sacredness of Moral Instincts
  174. 174Parental Experience
  175. 175Revolutionary Scene
  176. 176Economy on State Principles
  177. 177Philosophical Vanity; Its Maxims, and Effects
  178. 178Unity Between Church and State
  179. 179Triple Basis of French Revolution
  180. 180Correspondent System of Manners and Morals
  181. 181Ferocity of Jacobinism
  182. 182Voice of Oppression
  183. 183Britain Vindicated in Her War With France
  184. 184Polish and French Revolution
  185. 185Europe in 1789
  186. 186Atheism Cannot Repent
  187. 187Outward Dignity of the Church Defended
  188. 188Danger of Abstract Views
  189. 189Appeal to Impartiality
  190. 190Historical Estimate of Louis XVI
  191. 191Negative Religion a Nullity
  192. 192Antechamber of Regicide
  193. 193Tremendousness of War
  194. 194English Officers
  195. 195Diplomacy of Humiliation
  196. 196Relation of Wealth to National Dignity
  197. 197Ambassadors of Infamy
  198. 198Difficulty the Path to Glory
  199. 199Robespierre and His Counterparts
  200. 200Accumulation, a State Principle
  201. 201Warning for a Nation
  202. 202Santerre and Tallien
  203. 203Sir Sydney Smith
  204. 204A Moral Distinction
  205. 205Infidels and Their Policy
  206. 206What a Minister Should Attempt
  207. 207Law of Vicinity
  208. 208European Community
  209. 209Perils of Jacobin Peace
  210. 210Parliamentary and Regal Prerogative
  211. 211Burke’s Design in His Greatest Work
  212. 212Lord Keppel
  213. 213“Labouring Poor”
  214. 214State Consecrated by the Church
  215. 215Fate of Louis XVIII
  216. 216Nobility
  217. 217Legislation and Republicans
  218. 218Principle of State-Consecration
  219. 219British Stability
  220. 220Literary Atheists
  221. 221City of Paris
  222. 222Principle of Church Property
  223. 223Parsimony Not Economy
  224. 224Majesty of the British Constitution
  225. 225Duty Not Based on Will
  226. 226Ecclesiastical Confiscation
  227. 227Moral of History
  228. 228Use of Defects in History
  229. 229Social Contract
  230. 230Prescriptive Rights
  231. 231Madness of Innovation
  232. 232The State, Its Own Revenue
  233. 233Metaphysical Depravity
  234. 234Personal and Ancestral Claims
  235. 235Monastic and Philosophic Superstition
  236. 236Difficulty and Wisdom of Corporate Reform
  237. 237Distinctive Character of English Protestantism
  238. 238Fictitious Liberty
  239. 239French Ignorance of English Character
  240. 240The “People,” and “Omnipotence” of Parliament
  241. 241Magnanimity of English People
  242. 242True Basis of Civil Society
  243. 243Rousseau
  244. 244Moral Heroes
  245. 245Kingdom of France
  246. 246Grievance and Opinion
  247. 247Perplexity and Policy
  248. 248Historical Instruction
  249. 249Montesquieu
  250. 250Articles, and Scripture
  251. 251Problem of Legislation
  252. 252Order, Labour, and Property
  253. 253Regicidal Legislature
  254. 254Government Not to Be Rashly Censured
  255. 255Etiquette
  256. 256Ancient Establishments
  257. 257Sentiment and Policy
  258. 258Patriotism
  259. 259Necessity, a Relative Term
  260. 260King John and the Pope
  261. 261Consumption and Produce
  262. 262“Priests of the Rights of Man”
  263. 263“His Grace”
  264. 264Speculation and History
  265. 265Labour and Wages
  266. 266A Complete Revolution
  267. 267British Government in India
  268. 268Money and Science
  269. 269Political Axioms
  270. 270Disappointed Ambition
  271. 271Difficulty an Instructor
  272. 272Sovereign Jurisdictions
  273. 273Prudery of False Reform
  274. 274Exaggeration
  275. 275Tactics of Cabal
  276. 276Government, Relative, Not Absolute
  277. 277General Views
  278. 278Magnitude in Building
  279. 279Society and Solitude
  280. 280East-India Bill and Company
  281. 281Parliaments and Elections
  282. 282Religion and Magistracy
  283. 283Persecution, False in Theory
  284. 284Irish Legislation
  285. 285Henry of Navarre
  286. 286Test Acts
  287. 287What Faction Ought to Teach
  288. 288Grievances by Law
  289. 289Revolutionary Politics
  290. 290Toleration Become Intolerant
  291. 291Wilkes and Right of Election
  292. 292Rockingham and Conway
  293. 293Politics in the Pulpit
  294. 294William the Conqueror
  295. 295King Alfred
  296. 296Druids
  297. 297Saxon Conquest and Conversion
  298. 298Ministerial Responsibility
  299. 299Monastic Institutions and Their Results
  300. 300Common Law and Magna Charta
  301. 301Europe and the Norman Invasion
  302. 302Ancient Inhabitants of Britain
  303. 303Public Prosecutions
  304. 304True Nature of a Jacobin War
  305. 305National Dignity
  306. 306Principles of Government Not Absolute, but Relative
  307. 307Declaration of 1793
  308. 308Moral Diet
  309. 309King William’s Policy
  310. 310Distemper of Remedy
  311. 311War and Will of the People
  312. 312False Policy in Our French War
  313. 313Moral Essence Makes a Nation
  314. 314Public Spirit
  315. 315Progressive Growth of Christian States
  316. 316Petty Interests
  317. 317Pius VII
  318. 318Extinction of Local Patriotism
  319. 319Walpole and His Policy
  320. 320Political Peace
  321. 321Public Loans
  322. 322Historical Strictures
  323. 323Constitution Not the People’s Slave
  324. 324Modern “Lights”
  325. 325Republics in the Abstract
  326. 326An English Monarch
  327. 327Physiognomy
  328. 328The Eye
  329. 329Abolition and Use of Parliaments
  330. 330Cromwell and His Contrasts
  331. 331Delicacy
  332. 332Confiscation and Currency
  333. 333“Omnipotence of Church Plunder”
  334. 334Ugliness
  335. 335Grace
  336. 336Elegance and Speciousness
  337. 337The Beautiful in Feeling
  338. 338The Beautiful in Sounds
  339. 339British Church

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