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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.

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
Principles
Civil
Politics
Principle
Noxious
Political
Effect
Discriminating
Reality
Politician
Distinguishing
Give
Effects
Scheme
Giving
Circumstances
Render
Every
Mankind
Beneficial
Color
Schemes

More quotes by Edmund Burke

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It is by sympathy we enter into the concerns of others, that we are moved as they are moved, and are never suffered to be indifferent spectators of almost anything which men can do or suffer. For sympathy may be considered as a sort of substitution, by which we are put into the place of another man, and affected in many respects as he is affected.
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To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting.
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Frugality is founded on the principal that all riches have limits.
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In a democracy, the majority of the citizens is capable of exercising the most cruel oppressions upon the minority.
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Example is the school of mankind, and they will learn at no other.
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No government ought to exist for the purpose of checking the prosperity of its people or to allow such a principle in its policy.
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Continue to instruct the world and - whilst we carry on a poor unequal conflict with the passions and prejudices of our day, perhaps with no better weapons than other passions and prejudices of our own - convey wisdom to future generations.
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Poetry is the art of substantiating shadows, and of lending existence to nothing.
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The unbought grace of life, the cheap defence of nations, the nurse of manly sentiment and heroic enterprise, is gone!
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The grand instructor, time.
Edmund Burke
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There is nothing in the world really beneficial that does not lie within the reach of an informed understanding and a well-protected pursuit.
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There is a boundary to men's passions when they act from feelings but none when they are under the influence of imagination.
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Manners are of more importance than laws. Manners are what vex or soothe, corrupt or purify, exalt or debase, barbarize or refine us, by a constant, steady, uniform, insensible operation, like that of the air we breathe.
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When ancient opinions and rules of life are taken away, the loss cannot possibly be estimated. From that moment, we have no compass to govern us, nor can we know distinctly to what port to steer.
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A jealous lover lights his torch from the firebrand of the fiend.
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To make us love our country, our country ought to be lovely.
Edmund Burke
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The arrogance of age must submit to be taught by youth.
Edmund Burke
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Freedom without virtue is not freedom but license to pursue whatever passions prevail in the intemperate mind man's right to freedom being in exact proportion to his willingness to put chains upon his own appetites the less restraint from within, the more must be imposed from without.
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Law and arbitrary power are at eternal enmity.
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Flattery corrupts both the receiver and the giver and adulation is not of more service to the people than to kings.
Edmund Burke