Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Review Of The Life And Writings Of The Right Honourable Edmund Burke.
of France . Jn the ' Thoughts on the Discontents' he says , that a country ought to be governed by talents , virtue , and property . In the' Vindication ' and the ' Speech , ' that relig ious scepticism tends to political disorder . These are opinions consistent with disapprobation ofthe new Government of France , but not consistent with an approbation ofthe old . His defence of the constituent parts ofthe despot is / .-t is NOT CONSISTENT with the uniform reprobation of tyranny . His
detestation of a government dependent on Court-favouritism is strongly marked in one ofthe pamphlets quoted by the Editors— ' Thoughts on the Di contents . ' in France , Court-influence was much more powerful than even Burke describes it to have been here ; so that he must have execrated the French system . He often declared in parliamentthat he did so . In his Letter on the French Revolution he
, justifies what he had formerly condemned . There he is not consistent . His opinion , avowed in that letter , concerning the rig hts of Englishmen , and the tenure of the crown of England , is diametrically opposite to his opinion , declared in a remonstrance to the King concerning the American war , as a reader , by perusing the remonstrance , and comparing it with that part of the letter which
relates to the British constitution , will perceive . We do not affirm , that Burke was wrong in holding one opinion at one time , and another at another ; but that the fact was , he did change his doctrine . Reading the book on the French Revolution , Mr . Fox , ( who , in examining a discussion of an important question , considers merel y the reasoning , without attending , to the imagination or passions )
regarded nothing but the truth of the premises , and the legitimacy of the deduction . He declared it very unworthy of the ratiocinative powers of his friend . This attack on the execution . of the work is said to have provoked Burke more than disapprobation of the princi p les . Fox did not wish to break with the man whom he had always admired , and long loved ; their mutual friends wished to cement their differences , but Burke would accede to no measures proposed for that purpose . He even , on hearing that Mr . Fox was to be of a party at which he had engaged to dine , sent an excuse .
Whatever opinion Burke adopted , he adopted fully , and without the modifications of cooler fancies and passions . His zeal against the French Revolutionists transported him to an attack of princi p les of freedom , and he tried to excite a combination against the new opinions , although , in the American discussion , he had uniformly , powerfully , and ardently maintained the absurdity of employing force lo combat opinion . His leading argument , in the most ratiocinative of his
speeches , that on American Taxation , and on Conciliation , was , that the Colonists had imbibed princi p les and sentiments totally opposite to those parliament wished to impress ; and that the eradication of their , notions would be impracticable . He , as appears by his Memorial on French Affairs , latel y published , wished to produce a confederacy against France , long before the French Revolutionists had made any aggression on the neig hbouring states . He was the most
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Review Of The Life And Writings Of The Right Honourable Edmund Burke.
of France . Jn the ' Thoughts on the Discontents' he says , that a country ought to be governed by talents , virtue , and property . In the' Vindication ' and the ' Speech , ' that relig ious scepticism tends to political disorder . These are opinions consistent with disapprobation ofthe new Government of France , but not consistent with an approbation ofthe old . His defence of the constituent parts ofthe despot is / .-t is NOT CONSISTENT with the uniform reprobation of tyranny . His
detestation of a government dependent on Court-favouritism is strongly marked in one ofthe pamphlets quoted by the Editors— ' Thoughts on the Di contents . ' in France , Court-influence was much more powerful than even Burke describes it to have been here ; so that he must have execrated the French system . He often declared in parliamentthat he did so . In his Letter on the French Revolution he
, justifies what he had formerly condemned . There he is not consistent . His opinion , avowed in that letter , concerning the rig hts of Englishmen , and the tenure of the crown of England , is diametrically opposite to his opinion , declared in a remonstrance to the King concerning the American war , as a reader , by perusing the remonstrance , and comparing it with that part of the letter which
relates to the British constitution , will perceive . We do not affirm , that Burke was wrong in holding one opinion at one time , and another at another ; but that the fact was , he did change his doctrine . Reading the book on the French Revolution , Mr . Fox , ( who , in examining a discussion of an important question , considers merel y the reasoning , without attending , to the imagination or passions )
regarded nothing but the truth of the premises , and the legitimacy of the deduction . He declared it very unworthy of the ratiocinative powers of his friend . This attack on the execution . of the work is said to have provoked Burke more than disapprobation of the princi p les . Fox did not wish to break with the man whom he had always admired , and long loved ; their mutual friends wished to cement their differences , but Burke would accede to no measures proposed for that purpose . He even , on hearing that Mr . Fox was to be of a party at which he had engaged to dine , sent an excuse .
Whatever opinion Burke adopted , he adopted fully , and without the modifications of cooler fancies and passions . His zeal against the French Revolutionists transported him to an attack of princi p les of freedom , and he tried to excite a combination against the new opinions , although , in the American discussion , he had uniformly , powerfully , and ardently maintained the absurdity of employing force lo combat opinion . His leading argument , in the most ratiocinative of his
speeches , that on American Taxation , and on Conciliation , was , that the Colonists had imbibed princi p les and sentiments totally opposite to those parliament wished to impress ; and that the eradication of their , notions would be impracticable . He , as appears by his Memorial on French Affairs , latel y published , wished to produce a confederacy against France , long before the French Revolutionists had made any aggression on the neig hbouring states . He was the most