Quote

Those who quit their proper character to assume what does not belong to them are, for the greater part, ignorant both of the character they leave and of the character they assume.

Edmund Burke

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Edmund Burke
Age: 68 †
Born: 1729
Born: January 12
Died: 1797
Died: July 9
Philosopher
Politician
Statesman
Writer
Dublin city
Belong
Assuming
Ignorant
Leave
Greater
Quit
Part
Assume
Doe
Quitting
Character
Proper

More quotes by Edmund Burke

Image
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.
Edmund Burke
Image
Tyrants seldom want pretexts.
Edmund Burke
Image
The great must submit to the dominion of prudence and of virtue, or none will long submit to the dominion of the great.
Edmund Burke
Image
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.
Edmund Burke
Image
When you fear something, learn as much about it as you can. Knowledge conquers fear.
Edmund Burke
Image
That cardinal virtue, temperance.
Edmund Burke
Image
The truly sublime is always easy, and always natural.
Edmund Burke
Image
The great difference between the real leader and the pretender is that the one sees into the future, while the other regards only the present the one lives by the day, and acts upon expediency the other acts on enduring principles and for the immortality.
Edmund Burke
Image
If any ask me what a free government is, I answer, that, for any practical purpose, it is what the people think so,and that they, and not I, are the natural, lawful, and competent judges of this matter.
Edmund Burke
Image
Those who have been once intoxicated with power, and have derived any kind of emolument from it, even though but for one year, never can willingly abandon it. They may be distressed in the midst of all their power but they will never look to anything but power for their relief.
Edmund Burke
Image
They never will love where they ought to love, who do not hate where they ought to hate.
Edmund Burke
Image
Where two motives, neither of them perfectly justifiable, may be assigned, the worst has the chance of being preferred.
Edmund Burke
Image
In a free country every man thinks he has a concern in all public matters,--that he has a right to form and a right to deliver an opinion on them. This it is that fills countries with men of ability in all stations.
Edmund Burke
Image
Teach me, O lark! with thee to greatly rise, to exalt my soul and lift it to the skies.
Edmund Burke
Image
Restraint and discipline and examples of virtue and justice. These are the things that form the education of the world.
Edmund Burke
Image
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.
Edmund Burke
Image
Nothing so effectually deadens the taste of the sublime as that which is light and radiant.
Edmund Burke
Image
The most favourable laws can do very little towards the happiness of people when the disposition of the ruling power is adverse to them.
Edmund Burke
Image
For there is in mankind an unfortunate propensity to make themselves, their views and their works, the measure of excellence in every thing whatsoever
Edmund Burke
Image
Party is a body of men united, for promoting by their joint endeavours the national interest, upon some particular principle in which they are all agreed.
Edmund Burke