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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

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Edmund Burke
Age: 68 †
Born: 1729
Born: January 12
Died: 1797
Died: July 9
Philosopher
Politician
Statesman
Writer
Dublin city
Flattery
Service
Kings
People
Adulation
Corrupts
Receiver
Giver

More quotes by Edmund Burke

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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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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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When slavery is established in any part of the world, those who are free are by far the most proud and jealous of their freedom.
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When you find me attempting to break into your house to take your plate, under any pretence whatsoever, but most of all under pretence of purity of religion and Christian charity shoot me for a robber and a hypocrite, as in that case I shall certainly be.
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Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment and he betrays instead of serving you if he sacrifices it to your opinion.
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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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Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants.
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Of all things, wisdom is the most terrified with epidemical fanaticism, because, of all enemies, it is that against which she is the least able to furnish any kind of resource.
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The true danger is when liberty is nibbled away, for expedience, and by parts.
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It is the nature of tyranny and rapacity never to learn moderation from the ill-success of first oppressions on the contrary, all oppressors, all men thinking highly of the methods dictated by their nature, attribute the frustration of their desires to the want of sufficient rigor.
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Crimes lead into one another. They who are capable of being forgers, are capable of being incendiaries.
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Neither the few nor the many have a right to act merely by their will, in any matter connected with duty, trust, engagement, or obligation.
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To innovate is not to reform.
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He that borrows the aid of an equal understanding doubles his own he that uses that of a superior elevates his own to the stature of that he contemplates.
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A disposition to preserve, and an ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman.
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Evils we have had continually calling for reformation, and reformations more grievous than any evils.
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I despair of ever receiving the same degree of pleasure from the most exalted performances of genius which I felt in childhood from pieces which my present judgment regards as trifling and contemptible.
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Of this stamp is the cant of, Not men, but measures.
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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.
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Government is the exercise of all the great qualities of the human mind.
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