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If the people are happy, united, wealthy, and powerful, we presume the rest. We conclude that to be good from whence good is derived.

Edmund Burke

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Edmund Burke
Age: 68 †
Born: 1729
Born: January 12
Died: 1797
Died: July 9
Philosopher
Politician
Statesman
Writer
Dublin city
Happy
United
Presume
Good
Whence
People
Conclude
Derived
Wealthy
Rest
Powerful

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Tell me what are the prevailing sentiments that occupy the minds of your young peoples, and I will tell you what is to be the character of the next generation.
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History is a pact between the dead, the living, and the yet unborn.
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Corrupt influence is itself the perennial spring of all prodigality, and of all disorder it loads us more than millions of debt takes away vigor from our arms, wisdom from our councils, and every shadow of authority and credit from the most venerable parts of our constitution.
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I cannot conceive how any man can have brought himself to that pitch of presumption, to consider his country as nothing but carte blanche, upon which he may scribble whatever he pleases.
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Prudence is not only the first in rank of the virtues political and moral, but she is the director and regulator, the standard of them all.
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Evils we have had continually calling for reformation, and reformations more grievous than any evils.
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Nothing in progression can rest on its original plan. We may as well think of rocking a grown man in the cradle of an infant.
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Religion is among the most powerful causes of enthusiasm.
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Example is the school of mankind, and they will learn at no other.
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To innovate is not to reform.
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It is known that the taste--whatever it is--is improved exactly as we improve our judgment, by extending our knowledge, by a steady attention to our object, and by frequent exercise.
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A speculative despair is unpardonable where it our duty to act.
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The most favourable laws can do very little towards the happiness of people when the disposition of the ruling power is adverse to them.
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Our manners, our civilization, and all the good things connected with manners and civilization, have, in this European world of ours, depended for ages upon two principles: I mean the spirit of a gentleman, and the spirit of religion.
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But whoever is a genuine follower of Truth, keeps his eye steady upon his guide, indifferent whither he is led, provided that she is the leader.
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The only training for the heroic is the mundane.
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Circumstances give in reality to every political principle its distinguishing color and discriminating effect. The circumstances are what render every civil and political scheme beneficial or noxious to mankind.
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Nothing, indeed, but the possession of some power can with any certainty discover what at the bottom is the true character of any man.
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Nnothing tends more to the corruption of science than to suffer it to stagnate. These waters must be troubled, before they can exert their virtues.
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