reflections on the revolution in france - edmund burke (1729 - 1797)

8/14/2019 Reflections on the Revolution in France - Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)

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Reflections on the Revolution in France

by

Edmund Burke

1790

IT MAY NOT BE UNNECESSARYto inform the reader that the following Reflections hadtheir origin in a corresondence !etween the A"thor and a #er$ $o"ng gentleman at Paris% who

did him the honor of desiring his oinion "on the imortant transactions which then% and e#er

since% ha#e so m"ch occ"ied the attention of all men& An answer was written some time in themonth of Octo!er '()*% !"t it was +et !ac+ "on r"dential considerations& That letter isall"ded to in the !eginning of the following sheets& It has !een since forwarded to the erson to

whom it was addressed& The reasons for the dela$ in sending it were assigned in a short letter to

the same gentleman& This rod"ced on his art a new and ressing alication for the A"thor,ssentiments&

The A"thor !egan a second and more f"ll disc"ssion on the s"!-ect& This he had some

tho"ghts of "!lishing earl$ in the last sring. !"t% the matter gaining "on him% he fo"nd thatwhat he had "nderta+en not onl$ far e/ceeded the meas"re of a letter% !"t that its imortance

re0"ired rather a more detailed consideration than at that time he had an$ leis"re to !estow "on

it& 1owe#er% ha#ing thrown down his first tho"ghts in the form of a letter% and% indeed% when he

sat down to write% ha#ing intended it for a ri#ate letter% he fo"nd it diffic"lt to change the formof address when his sentiments had grown into a greater e/tent and had recei#ed another

direction& A different lan% he is sensi!le% might !e more fa#ora!le to a commodio"s di#ision anddistri!"tion of his matter&

Dear Sir,

Yo" are leased to call again% and with some earnestness% for m$ tho"ghts on the late

roceedings in 2rance& I will not gi#e $o" reason to imagine that I thin+ m$ sentiments of s"ch#al"e as to wish m$self to !e solicited a!o"t them& The$ are of too little conse0"ence to !e #er$

an/io"sl$ either comm"nicated or withheld& It was from attention to $o"% and to $o" onl$% that I

hesitated at the time when $o" first desired to recei#e them& In the first letter I had the honor towrite to $o"% and which at length I send% I wrote neither for% nor from% an$ descrition of men%nor shall I in this& M$ errors% if an$% are m$ own& M$ re"tation alone is to answer for them&

Yo" see% Sir% !$ the long letter I ha#e transmitted to $o"% that tho"gh I do most heartil$wish that 2rance ma$ !e animated !$ a sirit of rational li!ert$% and that I thin+ $o" !o"nd% in all

honest olic$% to ro#ide a ermanent !od$ in which that sirit ma$ reside% and an effect"al


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organ !$ which it ma$ act% it is m$ misfort"ne to entertain great do"!ts concerning se#eralmaterial oints in $o"r late transactions&

YOU IMA3INE4% 51EN YOU 5ROTE 6AST% that I might ossi!l$ !e rec+oned among the

aro#ers of certain roceedings in 2rance% from the solemn "!lic seal of sanction the$ ha#erecei#ed from two cl"!s of gentlemen in 6ondon% called the Constit"tional Societ$ and the

Re#ol"tion Societ$&

I certainl$ ha#e the honor to !elong to more cl"!s than one% in which the constit"tion of

this +ingdom and the rinciles of the glorio"s Re#ol"tion are held in high re#erence% and Irec+on m$self among the most forward in m$ 7eal for maintaining that constit"tion and those

rinciles in their "tmost "rit$ and #igor& It is !eca"se I do so% that I thin+ it necessar$ for me

that there sho"ld !e no mista+e& Those who c"lti#ate the memor$ of o"r Re#ol"tion and those

who are attached to the constit"tion of this +ingdom will ta+e good care how the$ are in#ol#edwith ersons who% "nder the rete/t of 7eal toward the Re#ol"tion and constit"tion% too

fre0"entl$ wander from their tr"e rinciles and are read$ on e#er$ occasion to deart from the

firm !"t ca"tio"s and deli!erate sirit which rod"ced the one% and which resides in the other&Before I roceed to answer the more material artic"lars in $o"r letter% I shall !eg lea#e to gi#e

$o" s"ch information as I ha#e !een a!le to o!tain of the two cl"!s which ha#e tho"ght roer%

as !odies% to interfere in the concerns of 2rance% first ass"ring $o" that I am not% and that I ha#ene#er !een% a mem!er of either of those societies&

The first% calling itself the Constit"tional Societ$% or Societ$ for Constit"tional

Information% or !$ some s"ch title% is% I !elie#e% of se#en or eight $ears standing& The instit"tionof this societ$ aears to !e of a charita!le and so far of a la"da!le nat"re. it was intended for the

circ"lation% at the e/ense of the mem!ers% of man$ !oo+s which few others wo"ld !e at the

e/ense of !"$ing% and which might lie on the hands of the !oo+sellers% to the great loss of an"sef"l !od$ of men& 5hether the !oo+s% so charita!l$ circ"lated% were e#er as charita!l$ read is

more than I +now& Possi!l$ se#eral of them ha#e !een e/orted to 2rance and% li+e goods not inre0"est here% ma$ with $o" ha#e fo"nd a mar+et& I ha#e heard m"ch tal+ of the lights to !e drawn

from !oo+s that are sent from hence& 5hat imro#ements the$ ha#e had in their assage 8as it issaid some li0"ors are meliorated !$ crossing the sea9 I cannot tell. !"t I ne#er heard a man of

common -"dgment or the least degree of information sea+ a word in raise of the greater art of

the "!lications circ"lated !$ that societ$% nor ha#e their roceedings !een acco"nted% e/cet !$some of themsel#es% as of an$ serio"s conse0"ence&

Yo"r National Assem!l$ seems to entertain m"ch the same oinion that I do of this oor

charita!le cl"!& As a nation% $o" reser#ed the whole stoc+ of $o"r elo0"ent ac+nowledgments forthe Re#ol"tion Societ$% when their fellows in the Constit"tional were% in e0"it$% entitled to some

share& Since $o" ha#e selected the Re#ol"tion Societ$ as the great o!-ect of $o"r national than+s

and raises% $o" will thin+ me e/c"sa!le in ma+ing its late cond"ct the s"!-ect of m$o!ser#ations& The National Assem!l$ of 2rance has gi#en imortance to these gentlemen !$

adoting them. and the$ ret"rn the fa#or !$ acting as a committee in England for e/tending the

rinciles of the National Assem!l$& 1enceforward we m"st consider them as a +ind ofri#ileged ersons% as no inconsidera!le mem!ers in the dilomatic !od$& This is one among the

re#ol"tions which ha#e gi#en slendor to o!sc"rit$% and distinction to "ndiscerned merit& Until

#er$ latel$ I do not recollect to ha#e heard of this cl"!& I am 0"ite s"re that it ne#er occ"ied a


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I flatter m$self that I lo#e a manl$% moral% reg"lated li!ert$ as well as an$ gentleman ofthat societ$% !e he who he will. and erhas I ha#e gi#en as good roofs of m$ attachment to that

ca"se in the whole co"rse of m$ "!lic cond"ct& I thin+ I en#$ li!ert$ as little as the$ do to an$

other nation& B"t I cannot stand forward and gi#e raise or !lame to an$thing which relates to

h"man actions% and h"man concerns% on a simle #iew of the o!-ect% as it stands stried of e#er$relation% in all the na+edness and solit"de of metah$sical a!straction& Circ"mstances 8which

with some gentlemen ass for nothing9 gi#e in realit$ to e#er$ olitical rincile its

disting"ishing color and discriminating effect& The circ"mstances are what render e#er$ ci#il andolitical scheme !eneficial or no/io"s to man+ind& A!stractedl$ sea+ing% go#ernment% as well

as li!ert$% is good. $et co"ld I% in common sense% ten $ears ago% ha#e felicitated 2rance on her

en-o$ment of a go#ernment 8for she then had a go#ernment9 witho"t in0"ir$ what the nat"re ofthat go#ernment was% or how it was administered< Can I now congrat"late the same nation "on

its freedom< Is it !eca"se li!ert$ in the a!stract ma$ !e classed amongst the !lessings of

man+ind% that I am serio"sl$ to felicitate a madman% who has escaed from the rotectingrestraint and wholesome dar+ness of his cell% on his restoration to the en-o$ment of light and

li!ert$< Am I to congrat"late a highwa$man and m"rderer who has !ro+e rison "on thereco#er$ of his nat"ral rights< This wo"ld !e to act o#er again the scene of the criminals

condemned to the galle$s% and their heroic deli#erer% the metah$sic =night of the Sorrowf"lCo"ntenance&

5hen I see the sirit of li!ert$ in action% I see a strong rincile at wor+. and this% for awhile% is all I can ossi!l$ +now of it& The wild gas% the fi/ed air% is lainl$ !ro+e loose. !"t we

o"ght to s"send o"r -"dgment "ntil the first effer#escence is a little s"!sided% till the li0"or is

cleared% and "ntil we see something deeer than the agitation of a tro"!led and froth$ s"rface& I

m"st !e tolera!l$ s"re% !efore I #ent"re "!licl$ to congrat"late men "on a !lessing% that the$ha#e reall$ recei#ed one& 2latter$ corr"ts !oth the recei#er and the gi#er% and ad"lation is not of

more ser#ice to the eole than to +ings& I sho"ld% therefore% s"send m$ congrat"lations on the

new li!ert$ of 2rance "ntil I was informed how it had !een com!ined with go#ernment% with"!lic force% with the disciline and o!edience of armies% with the collection of an effecti#e and

well;distri!"ted re#en"e% with moralit$ and religion% with the solidit$ of roert$% with eace and

order% with ci#il and social manners& All these 8in their wa$9 are good things% too% and witho"tthem li!ert$ is not a !enefit whilst it lasts% and is not li+el$ to contin"e long& The effect of li!ert$

to indi#id"als is that the$ ma$ do what the$ lease. we o"ght to see what it will lease them to

do% !efore we ris+ congrat"lations which ma$ !e soon t"rned into comlaints& Pr"dence wo"lddictate this in the case of searate% ins"lated% ri#ate men% !"t li!ert$% when men act in !odies% is

ower& Considerate eole% !efore the$ declare themsel#es% will o!ser#e the "se which is made

of ower and artic"larl$ of so tr$ing a thing as new ower in new ersons of whose rinciles%

temers% and disositions the$ ha#e little or no e/erience% and in sit"ations where those who

aear the most stirring in the scene ma$ ossi!l$ not !e the real mo#ers&

A66 these considerations% howe#er% were !elow the transcendental dignit$ of theRe#ol"tion Societ$& 5hilst I contin"ed in the co"ntr$% from whence I had the honor of writing to

$o"% I had !"t an imerfect idea of their transactions& On m$ coming to town% I sent for anacco"nt of their roceedings% which had !een "!lished !$ their a"thorit$% containing a sermon

of 4r& Price% with the 4"+e de Rochefo"ca"lt,s and the Arch!isho of Ai/,s letter% and se#eral

other doc"ments anne/ed& The whole of that "!lication% with the manifest design of connecting


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the affairs of 2rance with those of England !$ drawing "s into an imitation of the cond"ct of theNational Assem!l$% ga#e me a considera!le degree of "neasiness& The effect of that cond"ct "on

the ower% credit% roserit$% and tran0"ilit$ of 2rance !ecame e#er$ da$ more e#ident& The form

of constit"tion to !e settled for its f"t"re olit$ !ecame more clear& 5e are now in a condition to

discern% with tolera!le e/actness% the tr"e nat"re of the o!-ect held " to o"r imitation& If ther"dence of reser#e and decor"m dictates silence in some circ"mstances% in others r"dence of a

higher order ma$ -"stif$ "s in sea+ing o"r tho"ghts& The !eginnings of conf"sion with "s in

England are at resent fee!le eno"gh% !"t% with $o"% we ha#e seen an infanc$ still more fee!legrowing !$ moments into a strength to hea mo"ntains "on mo"ntains and to wage war with

hea#en itself& 5hene#er o"r neigh!or,s ho"se is on fire% it cannot !e amiss for the engines to

la$ a little on o"r own& Better to !e desised for too an/io"s arehensions than r"ined !$ tooconfident a sec"rit$&

Solicito"s chiefl$ for the eace of m$ own co"ntr$% !"t !$ no means "nconcerned for

$o"rs% I wish to comm"nicate more largel$ what was at first intended onl$ for $o"r ri#atesatisfaction& I shall still +ee $o"r affairs in m$ e$e and contin"e to address m$self to $o"&

Ind"lging m$self in the freedom of eistolar$ interco"rse% I !eg lea#e to throw o"t m$ tho"ghts

and e/ress m$ feelings -"st as the$ arise in m$ mind% with #er$ little attention to formal method&I set o"t with the roceedings of the Re#ol"tion Societ$% !"t I shall not confine m$self to them& Is

it ossi!le I sho"ld< It aears to me as if I were in a great crisis% not of the affairs of 2rance

alone% !"t of all E"roe% erhas of more than E"roe& All circ"mstances ta+en together% the2rench re#ol"tion is the most astonishing that has hitherto haened in the world& The most

wonderf"l things are !ro"ght a!o"t% in man$ instances !$ means the most a!s"rd and ridic"lo"s%

in the most ridic"lo"s modes% and aarentl$ !$ the most contemti!le instr"ments& E#er$thing

seems o"t of nat"re in this strange chaos of le#it$ and ferocit$% and of all sorts of crimes -"m!ledtogether with all sorts of follies& In #iewing this monstro"s tragicomic scene% the most oosite

assions necessaril$ s"cceed and sometimes mi/ with each other in the mind> alternate contemt

and indignation% alternate la"ghter and tears% alternate scorn and horror&

It cannot% howe#er% !e denied that to some this strange scene aeared in 0"ite another

oint of #iew& Into them it insired no other sentiments than those of e/"ltation and rat"re& The$

saw nothing in what has !een done in 2rance !"t a firm and temerate e/ertion of freedom% soconsistent% on the whole% with morals and with iet$ as to ma+e it deser#ing not onl$ of the

sec"lar ala"se of dashing Machia#ellian oliticians% !"t to render it a fit theme for all the

de#o"t eff"sions of sacred elo0"ence&

On the forenoon of the fo"rth of No#em!er last% 4octor Richard Price% a non;conforming

minister of eminence% reached% at the dissenting meeting ho"se of the Old ?ewr$% to his cl"! or

societ$% a #er$ e/traordinar$ miscellaneo"s sermon% in which there are some good moral and

religio"s sentiments% and not ill e/ressed% mi/ed " in a sort of orridge of #ario"s oliticaloinions and reflections. !"t the Re#ol"tion in 2rance is the grand ingredient in the ca"ldron& I

consider the address transmitted !$ the Re#ol"tion Societ$ to the National Assem!l$% thro"ghEarl Stanhoe% as originating in the rinciles of the sermon and as a corollar$ from them& It was

mo#ed !$ the reacher of that disco"rse& It was assed !$ those who came ree+ing from the

effect of the sermon witho"t an$ cens"re or 0"alification% e/ressed or imlied& If% howe#er% an$of the gentlemen concerned shall wish to searate the sermon from the resol"tion% the$ +now

how to ac+nowledge the one and to disa#ow the other& The$ ma$ do it> I cannot&


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2or m$ art% I loo+ed on that sermon as the "!lic declaration of a man m"ch connectedwith literar$ ca!allers and intrig"ing hilosohers% with olitical theologians and theological

oliticians !oth at home and a!road& I +now the$ set him " as a sort of oracle% !eca"se% with the

!est intentions in the world% he nat"rall$ hilii7es and chants his rohetic song in e/act

"nison with their designs&

That sermon is in a strain which I !elie#e has not !een heard in this +ingdom% in an$ of

the "lits which are tolerated or enco"raged in it% since the $ear ':@)% when a redecessor of4r& Price% the Re#& 1"gh Peters% made the #a"lt of the +ing,s own chael at St& ?ames,s ring with

the honor and ri#ilege of the saints% who% with the high raises of 3od in their mo"ths% and a

two;edged sword in their hands% were to e/ec"te -"dgment on the heathen% and "nishments "onthe eole. to !ind their +ings with chains% and their no!les with fetters of iron&"1# 2ew

harang"es from the "lit% e/cet in the da$s of $o"r leag"e in 2rance or in the da$s of o"r

Solemn 6eag"e and Co#enant in England% ha#e e#er !reathed less of the sirit of moderation

than this lect"re in the Old ?ewr$& S"osing% howe#er% that something li+e moderation were#isi!le in this olitical sermon% $et olitics and the "lit are terms that ha#e little agreement& No

so"nd o"ght to !e heard in the ch"rch !"t the healing #oice of Christian charit$& The ca"se of

ci#il li!ert$ and ci#il go#ernment gains as little as that of religion !$ this conf"sion of d"ties&Those who 0"it their roer character to ass"me what does not !elong to them are% for the greater

art% ignorant !oth of the character the$ lea#e and of the character the$ ass"me& 5holl$

"nac0"ainted with the world in which the$ are so fond of meddling% and ine/erienced in all itsaffairs on which the$ rono"nce with so m"ch confidence% the$ ha#e nothing of olitics !"t the

assions the$ e/cite& S"rel$ the ch"rch is a lace where one da$,s tr"ce o"ght to !e allowed to

the dissensions and animosities of man+ind&

This "lit st$le% re#i#ed after so long a discontin"ance% had to me the air of no#elt$% and

of a no#elt$ not wholl$ witho"t danger& I do not charge this danger e0"all$ to e#er$ art of the

disco"rse& The hint gi#en to a no!le and re#erend la$ di#ine% who is s"osed high in office inone of o"r "ni#ersities% "2#and other la$ di#ines of ran+ and literat"re ma$ !e roer and

seasona!le% tho"gh somewhat new& If the no!le See+ers sho"ld find nothing to satisf$ their io"s

fancies in the old stale of the national ch"rch% or in all the rich #ariet$ to !e fo"nd in the well;

assorted wareho"ses of the dissenting congregations% 4r& Price ad#ises them to imro#e "onnon;conformit$ and to set "% each of them% a searate meeting ho"se "on his own artic"lar

rinciles&"3#$2%It is somewhat remar+a!le that this re#erend di#ine sho"ld !e so earnest for setting

" new ch"rches and so erfectl$ indifferent concerning the doctrine which ma$ !e ta"ght inthem& 1is 7eal is of a c"rio"s character& It is not for the roagation of his own oinions% !"t of

an$ oinions& It is not for the diff"sion of tr"th% !"t for the sreading of contradiction& 6et the

no!le teachers !"t dissent% it is no matter from whom or from what& This great oint once

sec"red% it is ta+en for granted their religion will !e rational and manl$& I do"!t whether religionwo"ld rea all the !enefits which the calc"lating di#ine com"tes from this great coman$ of

great reachers& It wo"ld certainl$ !e a #al"a!le addition of nondescrits to the amle collection

of +nown classes% genera and secies% which at resent !ea"tif$ the hort"s sicc"s of dissent& Asermon from a no!le d"+e% or a no!le mar0"is% or a no!le earl% or !aron !old wo"ld certainl$

increase and di#ersif$ the am"sements of this town% which !egins to grow satiated with the

"niform ro"nd of its #aid dissiations& I sho"ld onl$ sti"late that these new Mess;?ohns inro!es and coronets sho"ld +ee some sort of !o"nds in the democratic and le#eling rinciles
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which are e/ected from their titled "lits& The new e#angelists will% I dare sa$% disaoint thehoes that are concei#ed of them& The$ will not !ecome% literall$ as well as fig"rati#el$% olemic

di#ines% nor !e disosed so to drill their congregations that the$ ma$% as in former !lessed times%

reach their doctrines to regiments of dragoons and cors of infantr$ and artiller$& S"ch

arrangements% howe#er fa#ora!le to the ca"se of com"lsor$ freedom% ci#il and religio"s% ma$not !e e0"all$ cond"ci#e to the national tran0"ilit$& These few restrictions I hoe are no great

stretches of intolerance% no #er$ #iolent e/ertions of desotism&

BUTI ma$ sa$ of o"r reacher "tinam n"gis tota illa dedisset temora sae#itiae& Allthings in this his f"lminating !"ll are not of so inno/io"s a tendenc$& 1is doctrines affect o"rconstit"tion in its #ital arts& 1e tells the Re#ol"tion Societ$ in this olitical sermon that his

Ma-est$ is almost the onl$ lawf"l +ing in the world !eca"se the onl$ one who owes his crown to

the choice of his eole& As to the +ings of the world% all of whom 8e/cet one9 this archontiffof the rights of men% with all the lenit"de and with more than the !oldness of the aal deosing

ower in its meridian fer#or of the twelfth cent"r$% "ts into one sweeing cla"se of !an and

anathema and roclaims "s"rers !$ circles of longit"de and latit"de% o#er the whole glo!e% it!ehoo#es them to consider how the$ admit into their territories these aostolic missionaries who

are to tell their s"!-ects the$ are not lawf"l +ings& That is their concern& It is o"rs% as a domestic

interest of some moment% serio"sl$ to consider the solidit$ of the onl$ rincile "on which

these gentlemen ac+nowledge a +ing of 3reat Britain to !e entitled to their allegiance&

This doctrine% as alied to the rince now on the British throne% either is nonsense and

therefore neither tr"e nor false% or it affirms a most "nfo"nded% dangero"s% illegal% and

"nconstit"tional osition& According to this sirit"al doctor of olitics% if his Ma-est$ does notowe his crown to the choice of his eole% he is no lawf"l +ing& Now nothing can !e more "ntr"e

than that the crown of this +ingdom is so held !$ his Ma-est$& Therefore% if $o" follow their r"le%

the +ing of 3reat Britain% who most certainl$ does not owe his high office to an$ form of o"lar

election% is in no resect !etter than the rest of the gang of "s"rers who reign% or rather ro!% allo#er the face of this o"r misera!le world witho"t an$ sort of right or title to the allegiance of

their eole& The olic$ of this general doctrine% so 0"alified% is e#ident eno"gh& The roagatorsof this olitical gosel are in hoes that their a!stract rincile 8their rincile that a o"lar

choice is necessar$ to the legal e/istence of the so#ereign magistrac$9 wo"ld !e o#erloo+ed%

whilst the +ing of 3reat Britain was not affected !$ it& In the meantime the ears of theircongregations wo"ld !e grad"all$ ha!it"ated to it% as if it were a first rincile admitted witho"t

dis"te& 2or the resent it wo"ld onl$ oerate as a theor$% ic+led in the reser#ing -"ices of

"lit elo0"ence% and laid !$ for f"t"re "se& Condo et comono 0"ae mo/ deromere ossim& B$

this olic$% whilst o"r go#ernment is soothed with a reser#ation in its fa#or% to which it has noclaim% the sec"rit$ which it has in common with all go#ernments% so far as oinion is sec"rit$% is

ta+en awa$&Th"s these oliticians roceed whilst little notice is ta+en of their doctrines. !"t when

the$ come to !e e/amined "on the lain meaning of their words and the direct tendenc$ of their

doctrines% then e0"i#ocations and slier$ constr"ctions come into la$& 5hen the$ sa$ the +ing

owes his crown to the choice of his eole and is therefore the onl$ lawf"l so#ereign in theworld% the$ will erhas tell "s the$ mean to sa$ no more than that some of the +ing,s

redecessors ha#e !een called to the throne !$ some sort of choice% and therefore he owes his

crown to the choice of his eole& Th"s% !$ a misera!le s"!terf"ge% the$ hoe to render their


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roosition safe !$ rendering it n"gator$& The$ are welcome to the as$l"m the$ see+ for theiroffense% since the$ ta+e ref"ge in their foll$& 2or if $o" admit this interretation% how does their

idea of election differ from o"r idea of inheritance

8'9 to choose o"r own go#ernors&

8D9 to cashier them for miscond"ct&

89 to frame a go#ernment for o"rsel#es&

This new and hitherto "nheard;of !ill of rights% tho"gh made in the name of the whole

eole% !elongs to those gentlemen and their faction onl$& The !od$ of the eole of England

ha#e no share in it& The$ "tterl$ disclaim it& The$ will resist the ractical assertion of it with theirli#es and fort"nes& The$ are !o"nd to do so !$ the laws of their co"ntr$ made at the time of that

#er$ Re#ol"tion which is aealed to in fa#or of the fictitio"s rights claimed !$ the Societ$

which a!"ses its name&T1ESE 3ENT6EMEN O2 T1E O64 ?E5RY% in all their reasonings on the Re#ol"tion of

':))% ha#e a re#ol"tion which haened in England a!o"t fort$ $ears !efore and the late 2rench

re#ol"tion% so m"ch !efore their e$es and in their hearts that the$ are constantl$ confo"nding all

the three together& It is necessar$ that we sho"ld searate what the$ confo"nd& 5e m"st recall

their erring fancies to the acts of the Re#ol"tion which we re#ere% for the disco#er$ of its tr"erinciles& If the rinciles of the Re#ol"tion of ':)) are an$where to !e fo"nd% it is in the

stat"te called the 4eclaration of Right& In that most wise% so!er% and considerate declaration%
http://www.constitution.org/eb/rev_fran.htm#04%2304http://www.constitution.org/eb/rev_fran.htm#04%2304


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drawn " !$ great law$ers and great statesmen% and not !$ warm and ine/erienced enth"siasts%not one word is said% nor one s"ggestion made% of a general right to choose o"r own go#ernors%

to cashier them for miscond"ct% and to form a go#ernment for o"rsel#es&

This 4eclaration of Right 8the act of the 'st of 5illiam and Mar$% sess& D% ch& D9 is thecornerstone of o"r constit"tion as reinforced% e/lained% imro#ed% and in its f"ndamental

rinciles for e#er settled& It is called% An Act for declaring the rights and li!erties of the

s"!-ect% and for settling the s"ccession of the crown& Yo" will o!ser#e that these rights and thiss"ccession are declared in one !od$ and !o"nd indissol"!l$ together&

A few $ears after this eriod% a second oort"nit$ offered for asserting a right of election

to the crown& On the rosect of a total fail"re of iss"e from =ing 5illiam% and from thePrincess% afterwards F"een Anne% the consideration of the settlement of the crown and of a

f"rther sec"rit$ for the li!erties of the eole again came !efore the legislat"re& 4id the$ this

second time ma+e an$ ro#ision for legali7ing the crown on the s"rio"s re#ol"tion rinciles ofthe Old ?ewr$< No& The$ followed the rinciles which re#ailed in the 4eclaration of Right%

indicating with more recision the ersons who were to inherit in the Protestant line& This actalso incororated% !$ the same olic$% o"r li!erties and an hereditar$ s"ccession in the same act&

Instead of a right to choose o"r own go#ernors% the$ declared that the s"ccession in that line 8theProtestant line drawn from ?ames the 2irst9% was a!sol"tel$ necessar$ for the eace% 0"iet% and

sec"rit$ of the realm% and that it was e0"all$ "rgent on them to maintain a certaint$ in the

s"ccession thereof% to which the s"!-ects ma$ safel$ ha#e reco"rse for their rotection& Boththese acts% in which are heard the "nerring% "nam!ig"o"s oracles of re#ol"tion olic$% instead of

co"ntenancing the del"si#e% gis$ redictions of a right to choose o"r go#ernors% ro#e to a

demonstration how totall$ ad#erse the wisdom of the nation was from t"rning a case of necessit$into a r"le of law&

Un0"estiona!l$% there was at the Re#ol"tion% in the erson of =ing 5illiam% a small and a

temorar$ de#iation from the strict order of a reg"lar hereditar$ s"ccession. !"t it is against allgen"ine rinciles of -"risr"dence to draw a rincile from a law made in a secial case and

regarding an indi#id"al erson& Pri#ilegi"m non transit in e/eml"m& If e#er there was a time

fa#ora!le for esta!lishing the rincile that a +ing of o"lar choice was the onl$ legal +ing%witho"t all do"!t it was at the Re#ol"tion& Its not !eing done at that time is a roof that the

nation was of oinion it o"ght not to !e done at an$ time& There is no erson so comletel$

ignorant of o"r histor$ as not to +now that the ma-orit$ in arliament of !oth arties were so littledisosed to an$thing resem!ling that rincile that at first the$ were determined to lace the

#acant crown% not on the head of the Prince of Orange% !"t on that of his wife Mar$% da"ghter of

=ing ?ames% the eldest !orn of the iss"e of that +ing% which the$ ac+nowledged as "ndo"!tedl$

his& It wo"ld !e to reeat a #er$ trite stor$% to recall to $o"r memor$ all those circ"mstances

which demonstrated that their acceting =ing 5illiam was not roerl$ a choice. !"t to all thosewho did not wish% in effect% to recall =ing ?ames or to del"ge their co"ntr$ in !lood and again to

!ring their religion% laws% and li!erties into the eril the$ had -"st escaed% it was an act ofnecessit$% in the strictest moral sense in which necessit$ can !e ta+en&

In the #er$ act in which for a time% and in a single case% arliament dearted from the

strict order of inheritance in fa#or of a rince who% tho"gh not ne/t% was% howe#er% #er$ near inthe line of s"ccession% it is c"rio"s to o!ser#e how 6ord Somers% who drew the !ill called the

4eclaration of Right% has comorted himself on that delicate occasion& It is c"rio"s to o!ser#e


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with what address this temorar$ sol"tion of contin"it$ is +et from the e$e% whilst all that co"ld!e fo"nd in this act of necessit$ to co"ntenance the idea of an hereditar$ s"ccession is !ro"ght

forward% and fostered% and made the most of% !$ this great man and !$ the legislat"re who

followed him& F"itting the dr$% imerati#e st$le of an act of arliament% he ma+es the 6ords and

Commons fall to a io"s% legislati#e e-ac"lation and declare that the$ consider it as a mar#ello"sro#idence and mercif"l goodness of 3od to this nation to reser#e their said Ma-esties, ro$al

ersons most hail$ to reign o#er "s on the throne of their ancestors% for which% from the

!ottom of their hearts% the$ ret"rn their h"m!lest than+s and raises& The legislat"re lainl$had in #iew the act of recognition of the first of F"een Eli7a!eth% cha& rd% and of that of ?ames

the 2irst% cha& 'st% !oth acts strongl$ declarator$ of the inherita!le nat"re of the crown. and in

man$ arts the$ follow% with a nearl$ literal recision% the words and e#en the form ofthan+sgi#ing which is fo"nd in these old declarator$ stat"tes&

The two 1o"ses% in the act of =ing 5illiam% did not than+ 3od that the$ had fo"nd a fair

oort"nit$ to assert a right to choose their own go#ernors% m"ch less to ma+e an election theonl$ lawf"l title to the crown& Their ha#ing !een in a condition to a#oid the #er$ aearance of

it% as m"ch as ossi!le% was !$ them considered as a ro#idential escae& The$ threw a olitic%

well;wro"ght #eil o#er e#er$ circ"mstance tending to wea+en the rights which in the melioratedorder of s"ccession the$ meant to eret"ate% or which might f"rnish a recedent for an$ f"t"re

deart"re from what the$ had then settled fore#er& Accordingl$% that the$ might not rela/ the

ner#es of their monarch$% and that the$ might reser#e a close conformit$ to the ractice of theirancestors% as it aeared in the declarator$ stat"tes of F"een Mar$ "#and F"een Eli7a!eth% in the

ne/t cla"se the$ #est% !$ recognition% in their Ma-esties all the legal rerogati#es of the crown%

declaring that in them the$ are most f"ll$% rightf"ll$% and entirel$ in#ested% incororated% "nited%

and anne/ed& In the cla"se which follows% for re#enting 0"estions !$ reason of an$ retendedtitles to the crown% the$ declare 8o!ser#ing also in this the traditionar$ lang"age% along with the

traditionar$ olic$ of the nation% and reeating as from a r"!ric the lang"age of the receding

acts of Eli7a!eth and ?ames%9 that on the reser#ing a certaint$ in the SUCCESSIONthereof% the"nit$% eace% and tran0"illit$ of this nation doth% "nder 3od% wholl$ deend&

The$ +new that a do"!tf"l title of s"ccession wo"ld !"t too m"ch resem!le an election%

and that an election wo"ld !e "tterl$ destr"cti#e of the "nit$% eace% and tran0"illit$ of thisnation% which the$ tho"ght to !e considerations of some moment& To ro#ide for these o!-ects

and% therefore% to e/cl"de for e#er the Old ?ewr$ doctrine of a right to choose o"r own

go#ernors% the$ follow with a cla"se containing a most solemn ledge% ta+en from the recedingact of F"een Eli7a!eth% as solemn a ledge as e#er was or can !e gi#en in fa#or of an hereditar$

s"ccession% and as solemn a ren"nciation as co"ld !e made of the rinciles !$ this Societ$

im"ted to them> The 6ords sirit"al and temoral% and Commons% do% in the name of all the

eole aforesaid% most h"m!l$ and faithf"ll$ s"!mit themsel#es% their heirs and osterities fore#er. and do faithf"ll$ romise that the$ will stand to maintain% and defend their said Ma-esties%

and also the limitation of the crown% herein secified and contained% to the "tmost of their

owers% etc& etc&

So far is it from !eing tr"e that we ac0"ired a right !$ the Re#ol"tion to elect o"r +ings

that% if we had ossessed it !efore% the English nation did at that time most solemnl$ reno"nceand a!dicate it% for themsel#es and for all their osterit$ fore#er&


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These gentlemen ma$ #al"e themsel#es as m"ch as the$ lease on their whig rinciles%!"t I ne#er desire to !e tho"ght a !etter whig than 6ord Somers% or to "nderstand the rinciles

of the Re#ol"tion !etter than those% !$ whom it was !ro"ght a!o"t% or to read in the 4eclaration

of Right an$ m$steries "n+nown to those whose enetrating st$le has engra#ed in o"r

ordinances% and in o"r hearts% the words and sirit of that immortal law&

It is tr"e that% aided with the owers deri#ed from force and oort"nit$% the nation was at

that time% in some sense% free to ta+e what co"rse it leased for filling the throne% !"t onl$ free todo so "on the same gro"nds on which the$ might ha#e wholl$ a!olished their monarch$ and

e#er$ other art of their constit"tion& 1owe#er% the$ did not thin+ s"ch !old changes within their

commission& It is indeed diffic"lt% erhas imossi!le% to gi#e limits to the mere a!stractcometence of the s"reme ower% s"ch as was e/ercised !$ arliament at that time% !"t the

limits of a moral cometence s"!-ecting% e#en in owers more indis"ta!l$ so#ereign% occasional

will to ermanent reason and to the stead$ ma/ims of faith% -"stice% and fi/ed f"ndamental

olic$% are erfectl$ intelligi!le and erfectl$ !inding "on those who e/ercise an$ a"thorit$%"nder an$ name or "nder an$ title% in the state& The 1o"se of 6ords% for instance% is not morall$

cometent to dissol#e the 1o"se of Commons% no% nor e#en to dissol#e itself% nor to a!dicate% if

it wo"ld% its ortion in the legislat"re of the +ingdom& Tho"gh a +ing ma$ a!dicate for his ownerson% he cannot a!dicate for the monarch$& B$ as strong% or !$ a stronger reason% the 1o"se of

Commons cannot reno"nce its share of a"thorit$& The engagement and act of societ$% which

generall$ goes !$ the name of the constit"tion% for!ids s"ch in#asion and s"ch s"rrender& Theconstit"ent arts of a state are o!liged to hold their "!lic faith with each other and with all those

who deri#e an$ serio"s interest "nder their engagements% as m"ch as the whole state is !o"nd to

+ee its faith with searate comm"nities& Otherwise cometence and ower wo"ld soon !e

confo"nded and no law !e left !"t the will of a re#ailing force& On this rincile the s"ccessionof the crown has alwa$s !een what it now is% an hereditar$ s"ccession !$ law. in the old line it

was a s"ccession !$ the common law. in the new% !$ the stat"te law oerating on the rinciles

of the common law% not changing the s"!stance% !"t reg"lating the mode and descri!ing theersons& Both these descritions of law are of the same force and are deri#ed from an e0"al

a"thorit$ emanating from the common agreement and original comact of the state% comm"ni

sonsione rei"!licae% and as s"ch are e0"all$ !inding on +ing and eole% too% as long as theterms are o!ser#ed and the$ contin"e the same !od$ olitic&

It is far from imossi!le to reconcile% if we do not s"ffer o"rsel#es to !e entangled in the

ma7es of metah$sic sohistr$% the "se !oth of a fi/ed r"le and an occasional de#iation> thesacredness of an hereditar$ rincile of s"ccession in o"r go#ernment with a ower of change in

its alication in cases of e/treme emergenc$& E#en in that e/tremit$ 8if we ta+e the meas"re of

o"r rights !$ o"r e/ercise of them at the Re#ol"tion9% the change is to !e confined to the eccant

art onl$% to the art which rod"ced the necessar$ de#iation. and e#en then it is to !e effectedwitho"t a decomosition of the whole ci#il and olitical mass for the "rose of originating a

new ci#il order o"t of the first elements of societ$&

A state witho"t the means of some change is witho"t the means of its conser#ation&

5itho"t s"ch means it might e#en ris+ the loss of that art of the constit"tion which it wished the

most religio"sl$ to reser#e& The two rinciles of conser#ation and correction oerated strongl$at the two critical eriods of the Restoration and Re#ol"tion% when England fo"nd itself witho"t

a +ing& At !oth those eriods the nation had lost the !ond of "nion in their ancient edifice. the$


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did not% howe#er% dissol#e the whole fa!ric& On the contrar$% in !oth cases the$ regenerated thedeficient art of the old constit"tion thro"gh the arts which were not imaired& The$ +et these

old arts e/actl$ as the$ were% that the art reco#ered might !e s"ited to them& The$ acted !$ the

ancient organi7ed states in the shae of their old organi7ation% and not !$ the organic molec"lae

of a dis!anded eole& At no time% erhas% did the so#ereign legislat"re manifest a more tenderregard to that f"ndamental rincile of British constit"tional olic$ than at the time of the

Re#ol"tion% when it de#iated from the direct line of hereditar$ s"ccession& The crown was

carried somewhat o"t of the line in which it had !efore mo#ed% !"t the new line was deri#edfrom the same stoc+& It was still a line of hereditar$ descent% still an hereditar$ descent in the

same !lood% tho"gh an hereditar$ descent 0"alified with Protestantism& 5hen the legislat"re

altered the direction% !"t +et the rincile% the$ showed that the$ held it in#iola!le&

On this rincile% the law of inheritance had admitted some amendment in the old time%

and long !efore the era of the Re#ol"tion& Some time after the Con0"est% great 0"estions arose

"on the legal rinciles of hereditar$ descent& It !ecame a matter of do"!t whether the heir ercaita or the heir er stires was to s"cceed. !"t whether the heir er caita ga#e wa$ when the

heirdom er stires too+ lace% or the Catholic heir when the Protestant was referred% the

inherita!le rincile s"r#i#ed with a sort of immortalit$ thro"gh all transmigrations m"ltos0"e er annos stat fort"na dom"s% et a#i n"merant"r a#or"m& This is the sirit of o"r

constit"tion% not onl$ in its settled co"rse% !"t in all its re#ol"tions& 5hoe#er came in% or

howe#er he came in% whether he o!tained the crown !$ law or !$ force% the hereditar$ s"ccessionwas either contin"ed or adoted&

The gentlemen of the Societ$ for Re#ol"tion see nothing in that of ':)) !"t the de#iation

from the constit"tion. and the$ ta+e the de#iation from the rincile for the rincile& The$ ha#elittle regard to the o!#io"s conse0"ences of their doctrine% tho"gh the$ m"st see that it lea#es

ositi#e a"thorit$ in #er$ few of the ositi#e instit"tions of this co"ntr$& 5hen s"ch an

"nwarranta!le ma/im is once esta!lished% that no throne is lawf"l !"t the electi#e% no one act ofthe rinces who receded this era of fictitio"s election can !e #alid& 4o these theorists mean to

imitate some of their redecessors who dragged the !odies of o"r ancient so#ereigns o"t of the

0"iet of their tom!s< 4o the$ mean to attaint and disa!le !ac+ward all the +ings that ha#e

reigned !efore the Re#ol"tion% and conse0"entl$ to stain the throne of England with the !lot of acontin"al "s"ration< 4o the$ mean to in#alidate% ann"l% or to call into 0"estion% together with

the titles of the whole line of o"r +ings% that great !od$ of o"r stat"te law which assed "nder

those whom the$ treat as "s"rers% to ann"l laws of inestima!le #al"e to o"r li!erties < of as great#al"e at least as an$ which ha#e assed at or since the eriod of the Re#ol"tion< If +ings who did

not owe their crown to the choice of their eole had no title to ma+e laws% what will !ecome of

the stat"te de tallagio non concedendo< of the etition of right< of the act of ha!eas

cor"s< 4o these new doctors of the rights of men res"me to assert that =ing ?ames the Second%who came to the crown as ne/t of !lood% according to the r"les of a then "n0"alified s"ccession%

was not to all intents and "roses a lawf"l +ing of England !efore he had done an$ of those acts

which were -"stl$ constr"ed into an a!dication of his crown< If he was not% m"ch tro"!le inarliament might ha#e !een sa#ed at the eriod these gentlemen commemorate& B"t =ing ?ames

was a !ad +ing with a good title% and not an "s"rer& The rinces who s"cceeded% according to

the act of arliament which settled the crown on the Electress Sohia and on her descendants%!eing Protestants% came in as m"ch !$ a title of inheritance as =ing ?ames did& 1e came in


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according to the law as it stood at his accession to the crown. and the rinces of the 1o"se ofBr"nswic+ came to the inheritance of the crown% not !$ election% !"t !$ the law as it stood at

their se#eral accessions of Protestant descent and inheritance% as I hoe I ha#e shown

s"fficientl$&

The law !$ which this ro$al famil$ is secificall$ destined to the s"ccession is the act of

the 'Dth and 'th of =ing 5illiam& The terms of this act !ind "s and o"r heirs% and o"r

osterit$% to them% their heirs% and their osterit$% !eing Protestants% to the end of time% in thesame words as the 4eclaration of Right had !o"nd "s to the heirs of =ing 5illiam and F"een

Mar$& It therefore sec"res !oth an hereditar$ crown and an hereditar$ allegiance& On what

gro"nd% e/cet the constit"tional olic$ of forming an esta!lishment to sec"re that +ind ofs"ccession which is to recl"de a choice of the eole fore#er% co"ld the legislat"re ha#e

fastidio"sl$ re-ected the fair and a!"ndant choice which o"r co"ntr$ resented to them and

searched in strange lands for a foreign rincess from whose wom! the line of o"r f"t"re r"lers

were to deri#e their title to go#ern millions of men thro"gh a series of ages men

who ne#er had seen the state so m"ch as in a ict"re men who +new nothing of the world

!e$ond the !o"nds of an o!sc"re #illage. who% immersed in hoeless o#ert$% co"ld regard all

roert$% whether sec"lar or ecclesiastical% with no other e$e than that of en#$. among whomm"st !e man$ who% for the smallest hoe of the meanest di#idend in l"nder% wo"ld readil$ -oin

in an$ attemts "on a !od$ of wealth in which the$ co"ld hardl$ loo+ to ha#e an$ share e/cet

in a general scram!le& Instead of !alancing the ower of the acti#e chicaners in the otherassem!l$% these c"rates m"st necessaril$ !ecome the acti#e coad-"tors% or at !est the assi#e

instr"ments% of those !$ whom the$ had !een ha!it"all$ g"ided in their ett$ #illage concerns&

The$% too% co"ld hardl$ !e the most conscientio"s of their +ind who% res"ming "on their

incometent "nderstanding% co"ld intrig"e for a tr"st which led them from their nat"ral relationto their floc+s and their nat"ral sheres of action to "nderta+e the regeneration of +ingdoms& This

reonderating weight% !eing added to the force of the !od$ of chicane in the Tiers Etat%

comleted that moment"m of ignorance% rashness% res"mtion% and l"st of l"nder% whichnothing has !een a!le to resist&

To o!ser#ing men it m"st ha#e aeared from the !eginning that the ma-orit$ of the ThirdEstate% in con-"nction with s"ch a de"tation from the clerg$ as I ha#e descri!ed% whilst it

"rs"ed the destr"ction of the no!ilit$% wo"ld ine#ita!l$ !ecome s"!ser#ient to the worst designs


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of indi#id"als in that class& In the soil and h"miliation of their own order these indi#id"alswo"ld ossess a s"re f"nd for the a$ of their new followers& To s0"ander awa$ the o!-ects

which made the hainess of their fellows wo"ld !e to them no sacrifice at all& T"r!"lent%

discontented men of 0"alit$% in roortion as the$ are "ffed " with ersonal ride and

arrogance% generall$ desise their own order& One of the first s$mtoms the$ disco#er of a selfishand mischie#o"s am!ition is a rofligate disregard of a dignit$ which the$ arta+e with others&

To !e attached to the s"!di#ision% to lo#e the little latoon we !elong to in societ$% is the first

rincile 8the germ as it were9 of "!lic affections& It is the first lin+ in the series !$ which weroceed toward a lo#e to o"r co"ntr$ and to man+ind& The interest of that ortion of social

arrangement is a tr"st in the hands of all those who comose it. and as none !"t !ad men wo"ld

-"stif$ it in a!"se% none !"t traitors wo"ld !arter it awa$ for their own ersonal ad#antage&

There were in the time of o"r ci#il tro"!les in England 8I do not +now whether $o" ha#e

an$ s"ch in $o"r assem!l$ in 2rance9 se#eral ersons% li+e the then Earl of 1olland% who !$

themsel#es or their families had !ro"ght an odi"m on the throne !$ the rodigal disensation ofits !o"nties toward them% who afterwards -oined in the re!ellions arising from the discontents of

which the$ were themsel#es the ca"se. men who heled to s"!#ert that throne to which the$

owed% some of them% their e/istence% others all that ower which the$ emlo$ed to r"in their!enefactor& If an$ !o"nds are set to the raacio"s demands of that sort of eole% or that others

are ermitted to arta+e in the o!-ects the$ wo"ld engross% re#enge and en#$ soon fill " the

cra#ing #oid that is left in their a#arice& Confo"nded !$ the comlication of distemeredassions% their reason is dist"r!ed. their #iews !ecome #ast and erle/ed. to others ine/lica!le%

to themsel#es "ncertain& The$ find% on all sides% !o"nds to their "nrinciled am!ition in an$

fi/ed order of things& Both in the fog and ha7e of conf"sion all is enlarged and aears witho"t

an$ limit&

5hen men of ran+ sacrifice all ideas of dignit$ to an am!ition witho"t a distinct o!-ect

and wor+ with low instr"ments and for low ends% the whole comosition !ecomes low and !ase&4oes not something li+e this now aear in 2rance< 4oes it not rod"ce something igno!le and

inglorio"s a +ind of meanness in all the re#alent olic$% a tendenc$ in all that is done to

lower along with indi#id"als all the dignit$ and imortance of the state< Other re#ol"tions ha#e

!een cond"cted !$ ersons who% whilst the$ attemted or affected changes in thecommonwealth% sanctified their am!ition !$ ad#ancing the dignit$ of the eole whose eace

the$ tro"!led& The$ had long #iews& The$ aimed at the r"le% not at the destr"ction% of their

co"ntr$& The$ were men of great ci#il and great militar$ talents% and if the terror% the ornament oftheir age& The$ were not li+e ?ew !ro+ers% contending with each other who co"ld !est remed$

with fra"d"lent circ"lation and dereciated aer the wretchedness and r"in !ro"ght on their

co"ntr$ !$ their degenerate co"ncils& The comliment made to one of the great !ad men of the

old stam 8Cromwell9 !$ his +insman% a fa#orite oet of that time% shows what it was heroosed% and what indeed to a great degree he accomlished% in the s"ccess of his am!ition>

Still as $o" rise% the state e/alted too%2inds no distemer whilst tis changed !$ $o".

Changed li+e the world,s great scene% when witho"t noise

The rising s"n night,s #"lgar lights destro$s&

These dist"r!ers were not so m"ch li+e men "s"ring ower as asserting their nat"ral

lace in societ$& Their rising was to ill"minate and !ea"tif$ the world& Their con0"est o#er their


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cometitors was !$ o"tshining them& The hand that% li+e a destro$ing angel% smote the co"ntr$comm"nicated to it the force and energ$ "nder which it s"ffered& I do not sa$ 83od for!id9% I do

not sa$ that the #irt"es of s"ch men were to !e ta+en as a !alance to their crimes. !"t the$ were

some correcti#e to their effects& S"ch was% as I said% o"r Cromwell& S"ch were $o"r whole race of

3"ises% Condes% and Colignis& S"ch the Richelie"s% who in more 0"iet times acted in the sirit ofa ci#il war& S"ch% as !etter men% and in a less d"!io"s ca"se% were $o"r 1enr$ the 2o"rth and

$o"r S"ll$% tho"gh n"rsed in ci#il conf"sions and not wholl$ witho"t some of their taint& It is a

thing to !e wondered at% to see how #er$ soon 2rance% when she had a moment to resire%reco#ered and emerged from the longest and most dreadf"l ci#il war that e#er was +nown in an$

nation& 5h$< Beca"se among all their massacres the$ had not slain the mind in their co"ntr$& A

conscio"s dignit$% a no!le ride% a genero"s sense of glor$ and em"lation was not e/ting"ished&On the contrar$% it was +indled and inflamed& The organs also of the state% howe#er shattered%

e/isted& All the ri7es of honor and #irt"e% all the rewards% all the distinctions remained& B"t $o"r

resent conf"sion% li+e a als$% has attac+ed the fo"ntain of life itself& E#er$ erson in $o"rco"ntr$% in a sit"ation to !e act"ated !$ a rincile of honor% is disgraced and degraded% and can

entertain no sensation of life e/cet in a mortified and h"miliated indignation& B"t thisgeneration will 0"ic+l$ ass awa$& The ne/t generation of the no!ilit$ will resem!le the artificers

and clowns% and mone$;-o!!ers "s"rers% and ?ews% who will !e alwa$s their fellows% sometimestheir masters&

BE6IEHE ME% SIR% those who attemt to le#el% ne#er e0"ali7e& In all societies% consistingof #ario"s descritions of citi7ens% some descrition m"st !e "ermost& The le#elers% therefore%

onl$ change and er#ert the nat"ral order of things. the$ load the edifice of societ$ !$ setting "in the air what the solidit$ of the str"ct"re re0"ires to !e on the gro"nd& The association of tailors

and carenters% of which the re"!lic 8of Paris% for instance9 is comosed% cannot !e e0"al to the

sit"ation into which !$ the worst of "s"rations an "s"ration on the rerogati#es of nat"re $o" attemt to force them&

The Chancellor of 2rance% at the oening of the states% said% in a tone of oratorical

flo"rish% that all occ"ations were honora!le& If he meant onl$ that no honest emlo$ment wasdisgracef"l% he wo"ld not ha#e gone !e$ond the tr"th& B"t in asserting that an$thing is honora!le%

we iml$ some distinction in its fa#or& The occ"ation of a hairdresser or of a wor+ing tallow;

chandler cannot !e a matter of honor to an$ erson to sa$ nothing of a n"m!er of other moreser#ile emlo$ments& S"ch descritions of men o"ght not to s"ffer oression from the state. !"t

the state s"ffers oression if s"ch as the$% either indi#id"all$ or collecti#el$% are ermitted to

r"le& In this $o" thin+ $o" are com!ating re-"dice% !"t $o" are at war with nat"re& "10#

I do not determine whether this !oo+ !e canonical% as the 3allican ch"rch 8till latel$9 has

considered it% or aocr$hal% as here it is ta+en& I am s"re it contains a great deal of sense and

tr"th&

I do not% m$ dear Sir% concei#e $o" to !e of that sohistical% catio"s sirit% or of that

"ncandid d"lness% as to re0"ire% for e#er$ general o!ser#ation or sentiment% an e/licit detail of

the correcti#es and e/cetions which reason will res"me to !e incl"ded in all the generalroositions which come from reasona!le men& Yo" do not imagine that I wish to confine ower%

a"thorit$% and distinction to !lood and names and titles& No% Sir& There is no 0"alification for

go#ernment !"t #irt"e and wisdom% act"al or res"mti#e& 5here#er the$ are act"all$ fo"nd%


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the$ ha#e% in whate#er state% condition% rofession% or trade% the assort of 1ea#en to h"manlace and honor& 5oe to the co"ntr$ which wo"ld madl$ and imio"sl$ re-ect the ser#ice of the

talents and #irt"es% ci#il% militar$% or religio"s% that are gi#en to grace and to ser#e it% and wo"ld

condemn to o!sc"rit$ e#er$thing formed to diff"se l"ster and glor$ aro"nd a state& 5oe to that

co"ntr$% too% that% assing into the oosite e/treme% considers a low ed"cation% a meancontracted #iew of things% a sordid% mercenar$ occ"ation as a refera!le title to command&

E#er$thing o"ght to !e oen% !"t not indifferentl$% to e#er$ man& No rotation. no aointment !$

lot. no mode of election oerating in the sirit of sortition or rotation can !e generall$ good in ago#ernment con#ersant in e/tensi#e o!-ects& Beca"se the$ ha#e no tendenc$% direct or indirect% to

select the man with a #iew to the d"t$ or to accommodate the one to the other& I do not hesitate to

sa$ that the road to eminence and ower% from o!sc"re condition% o"ght not to !e made too eas$%nor a thing too m"ch of co"rse& If rare merit !e the rarest of all rare things% it o"ght to ass

thro"gh some sort of ro!ation& The temle of honor o"ght to !e seated on an eminence& If it !e

oened thro"gh #irt"e% let it !e remem!ered% too% that #irt"e is ne#er tried !"t !$ some diffic"lt$and some str"ggle&

Nothing is a d"e and ade0"ate reresentation of a state that does not reresent its a!ilit$

as well as its roert$& B"t as a!ilit$ is a #igoro"s and acti#e rincile% and as roert$ issl"ggish% inert% and timid% it ne#er can !e safe from the in#asion of a!ilit$ "nless it !e% o"t of all

roortion% redominant in the reresentation& It m"st !e reresented% too% in great masses of

acc"m"lation% or it is not rightl$ rotected& The characteristic essence of roert$% formed o"t ofthe com!ined rinciles of its ac0"isition and conser#ation% is to !e "ne0"al& The great masses%

therefore% which e/cite en#$ and temt raacit$ m"st !e "t o"t of the ossi!ilit$ of danger&

Then the$ form a nat"ral ramart a!o"t the lesser roerties in all their gradations& The same

0"antit$ of roert$% which is !$ the nat"ral co"rse of things di#ided among man$% has not thesame oeration& Its defensi#e ower is wea+ened as it is diff"sed& In this diff"sion each man,s

ortion is less than what% in the eagerness of his desires% he ma$ flatter himself to o!tain !$

dissiating the acc"m"lations of others& The l"nder of the few wo"ld indeed gi#e !"t a shareinconcei#a!l$ small in the distri!"tion to the man$& B"t the man$ are not caa!le of ma+ing this

calc"lation. and those who lead them to raine ne#er intend this distri!"tion&

The ower of eret"ating o"r roert$ in o"r families is one of the most #al"a!le andinteresting circ"mstances !elonging to it% and that which tends the most to the eret"ation of

societ$ itself& It ma+es o"r wea+ness s"!ser#ient to o"r #irt"e% it grafts !ene#olence e#en "on

a#arice& The ossessors of famil$ wealth% and of the distinction which attends hereditar$ossession 8as most concerned in it9% are the nat"ral sec"rities for this transmission& 5ith "s the

1o"se of Peers is formed "on this rincile& It is wholl$ comosed of hereditar$ roert$ and

hereditar$ distinction% and made% therefore% the third of the legislat"re and% in the last e#ent% the

sole -"dge of all roert$ in all its s"!di#isions& The 1o"se of Commons% too% tho"gh notnecessaril$% $et in fact% is alwa$s so comosed% in the far greater art& 6et those large rorietors

!e what the$ will and the$ ha#e their chance of !eing amongst the !est the$ are% at the

#er$ worst% the !allast in the #essel of the commonwealth& 2or tho"gh hereditar$ wealth and theran+ which goes with it are too m"ch idoli7ed !$ creeing s$cohants and the !lind% a!-ect

admirers of ower% the$ are too rashl$ slighted in shallow sec"lations of the et"lant% ass"ming%

short;sighted co/com!s of hilosoh$& Some decent% reg"lated reeminence% some reference8not e/cl"si#e aroriation9 gi#en to !irth is neither "nnat"ral% nor "n-"st% nor imolitic&


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ITis said that twent$;fo"r millions o"ght to re#ail o#er two h"ndred tho"sand& Tr"e. ifthe constit"tion of a +ingdom !e a ro!lem of arithmetic& This sort of disco"rse does well eno"gh

with the lam;ost for its second. to men who ma$ reason calml$% it is ridic"lo"s& The will of theman$ and their interest m"st #er$ often differ% and great will !e the difference when the$ ma+e

an e#il choice& A go#ernment of fi#e h"ndred co"ntr$ attornies and o!sc"re c"rates is not goodfor twent$;fo"r millions of men% tho"gh it were chosen !$ eight and fort$ millions% nor is it the!etter for !eing g"ided !$ a do7en of ersons of 0"alit$ who ha#e !etra$ed their tr"st in order to

o!tain that ower& At resent% $o" seem in e#er$thing to ha#e stra$ed o"t of the high road of

nat"re& The roert$ of 2rance does not go#ern it& Of co"rse% roert$ is destro$ed and rationalli!ert$ has no e/istence& All $o" ha#e got for the resent is a aer circ"lation and a stoc+;

-o!!ing constit"tion. and as to the f"t"re% do $o" serio"sl$ thin+ that the territor$ of 2rance% "on

the re"!lican s$stem of eight$;three indeendent m"nicialities 8to sa$ nothing of the arts that

comose them9% can e#er !e go#erned as one !od$ or can e#er !e set in motion !$ the im"lse ofone mind< 5hen the National Assem!l$ has comleted its wor+% it will ha#e accomlished its

r"in& These commonwealths will not long !ear a state of s"!-ection to the re"!lic of Paris& The$

will not !ear that this !od$ sho"ld monooli7e the cati#it$ of the +ing and the dominion o#erthe assem!l$ calling itself national& Each will +ee its own ortion of the soil of the ch"rch to

itself% and it will not s"ffer either that soil% or the more -"st fr"its of their ind"str$% or the nat"ral

rod"ce of their soil to !e sent to swell the insolence or amer the l"/"r$ of the mechanics ofParis& In this the$ will see none of the e0"alit$% "nder the retense of which the$ ha#e !een

temted to throw off their allegiance to their so#ereign as well as the ancient constit"tion of their

co"ntr$& There can !e no caital cit$ in s"ch a constit"tion as the$ ha#e latel$ made& The$ ha#e

forgot that% when the$ framed democratic go#ernments% the$ had #irt"all$ dismem!ered theirco"ntr$& The erson whom the$ erse#ere in calling +ing has not ower left to him !$ the

h"ndredth art s"fficient to hold together this collection of re"!lics& The re"!lic of Paris will

endea#or% indeed% to comlete the de!a"cher$ of the arm$% and illegall$ to eret"ate the

assem!l$% witho"t resort to its constit"ents% as the means of contin"ing its desotism& It willma+e efforts% !$ !ecoming the heart of a !o"ndless aer circ"lation% to draw e#er$thing to

itself. !"t in #ain& All this olic$ in the end will aear as fee!le as it is now #iolent&

I2this !e $o"r act"al sit"ation% comared to the sit"ation to which $o" were called% as itwere% !$ the #oice of 3od and man% I cannot find it in m$ heart to congrat"late $o" on the choice

$o" ha#e made or the s"ccess which has attended $o"r endea#ors& I can as little recommend to

an$ other nation a cond"ct gro"nded on s"ch rinciles% and rod"cti#e of s"ch effects& That I

m"st lea#e to those who can see farther into $o"r affairs than I am a!le to do% and who !est +nowhow far $o"r actions are fa#ora!le to their designs& The gentlemen of the Re#ol"tion Societ$%

who were so earl$ in their congrat"lations% aear to !e strongl$ of oinion that there is some

scheme of olitics relati#e to this co"ntr$ in which $o"r roceedings ma$% in some wa$% !e"sef"l& 2or $o"r 4r& Price% who seems to ha#e sec"lated himself into no small degree of fer#or

"on this s"!-ect% addresses his a"ditor$ in the following #er$ remar+a!le words> I cannot

concl"de witho"t recalling artic"larl$ to $o"r recollection a consideration which I ha#e morethan once all"ded to% and which ro!a!l$ $o"r tho"ghts ha#e !een all along anticiating. a

consideration with which m$ mind is imressed more than I can e/ress& I mean the

consideration of the fa#o"ra!leness of the resent times to all e/ertions in the ca"se of li!ert$&


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It is lain that the mind of this olitical reacher was at the time !ig with somee/traordinar$ design. and it is #er$ ro!a!le that the tho"ghts of his a"dience% who "nderstood

him !etter than I do% did all along r"n !efore him in his reflection and in the whole train of

conse0"ences to which it led&

Before I read that sermon% I reall$ tho"ght I had li#ed in a free co"ntr$. and it was an

error I cherished% !eca"se it ga#e me a greater li+ing to the co"ntr$ I li#ed in& I was% indeed%

aware that a -ealo"s% e#er;wa+ing #igilance to g"ard the treas"re of o"r li!ert$% not onl$ fromin#asion% !"t from deca$ and corr"tion% was o"r !est wisdom and o"r first d"t$& 1owe#er% I

considered that treas"re rather as a ossession to !e sec"red than as a ri7e to !e contended for& I

did not discern how the resent time came to !e so #er$ fa#ora!le to all e/ertions in the ca"se offreedom& The resent time differs from an$ other onl$ !$ the circ"mstance of what is doing in

2rance& If the e/amle of that nation is to ha#e an infl"ence on this% I can easil$ concei#e wh$

some of their roceedings which ha#e an "nleasant asect and are not 0"ite reconcila!le to

h"manit$% generosit$% good faith% and -"stice are alliated with so m"ch mil+$ good;nat"retoward the actors% and !orne with so m"ch heroic fortit"de toward the s"fferers& It is certainl$ not

r"dent to discredit the a"thorit$ of an e/amle we mean to follow& B"t allowing this% we are led

to a #er$ nat"ral 0"estion> 5hat is that ca"se of li!ert$% and what are those e/ertions in its fa#orto which the e/amle of 2rance is so sing"larl$ a"sicio"s< Is o"r monarch$ to !e annihilated%

with all the laws% all the tri!"nals% and all the ancient cororations of the +ingdom< Is e#er$

landmar+ of the co"ntr$ to !e done awa$ in fa#or of a geometrical and arithmetical constit"tion adding% s"!tracting% m"ltil$ing% and di#iding% morall$and not metah$sicall$ or mathematicall$% tr"e moral denominations&

B$ these theorists the right of the eole is almost alwa$s sohisticall$ confo"nded with

their ower& The !od$ of the comm"nit$% whene#er it can come to act% can meet with no effect"alresistance. !"t till ower and right are the same% the whole !od$ of them has no right inconsistent

with #irt"e% and the first of all #irt"es% r"dence& Men ha#e no right to what is not reasona!le and


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to what is not for their !enefit. for tho"gh a leasant writer said% liceat erire oetis% when one ofthem% in cold !lood% is said to ha#e leaed into the flames of a #olcanic re#ol"tion% ardentem

frigid"s Aetnam insil"it% I consider s"ch a frolic rather as an "n-"stifia!le oetic license than as

one of the franchises of Parnass"s. and whether he was a oet% or di#ine% or olitician that chose

to e/ercise this +ind of right% I thin+ that more wise% !eca"se more charita!le% tho"ghts wo"ld"rge me rather to sa#e the man than to reser#e his !ra7en sliers as the mon"ments of his foll$&

The +ind of anni#ersar$ sermons to which a great art of what I write refers% if men arenot shamed o"t of their resent co"rse in commemorating the fact% will cheat man$ o"t of the

rinciles% and deri#e them of the !enefits% of the re#ol"tion the$ commemorate& I confess to

$o"% Sir% I ne#er li+ed this contin"al tal+ of resistance and re#ol"tion% or the ractice of ma+ingthe e/treme medicine of the constit"tion its dail$ !read& It renders the ha!it of societ$

dangero"sl$ #alet"dinar$. it is ta+ing eriodical doses of merc"r$ s"!limate and swallowing

down reeated ro#ocati#es of cantharides to o"r lo#e of li!ert$&

This distemer of remed$% grown ha!it"al% rela/es and wears o"t% !$ a #"lgar and

rostit"ted "se% the sring of that sirit which is to !e e/erted on great occasions& It was in themost atient eriod of Roman ser#it"de that themes of t$rannicide made the ordinar$ e/ercise of

!o$s at school c"m erimit sae#os classis n"merosa t$rannos& In the ordinar$ state of things%it rod"ces in a co"ntr$ li+e o"rs the worst effects% e#en on the ca"se of that li!ert$ which it

a!"ses with the dissol"teness of an e/tra#agant sec"lation& Almost all the high;!red re"!licans

of m$ time ha#e% after a short sace% !ecome the most decided% thoro"gh;aced co"rtiers. the$soon left the !"siness of a tedio"s% moderate% !"t ractical resistance to those of "s whom% in the

ride and into/ication of their theories% the$ ha#e slighted as not m"ch !etter than Tories&

1$ocris$% of co"rse% delights in the most s"!lime sec"lations% for% ne#er intending to go!e$ond sec"lation% it costs nothing to ha#e it magnificent& B"t e#en in cases where rather le#it$

than fra"d was to !e s"sected in these ranting sec"lations% the iss"e has !een m"ch the same&

These rofessors% finding their e/treme rinciles not alica!le to cases which call onl$ for a0"alified or% as I ma$ sa$% ci#il and legal resistance% in s"ch cases emlo$ no resistance at all& It

is with them a war or a re#ol"tion% or it is nothing& 2inding their schemes of olitics not adated

to the state of the world in which the$ li#e% the$ often come to thin+ lightl$ of all "!lic

rincile% and are read$% on their art% to a!andon for a #er$ tri#ial interest what the$ find of #er$tri#ial #al"e& Some% indeed% are of more stead$ and erse#ering nat"res% !"t these are eager

oliticians o"t of arliament who ha#e little to temt them to a!andon their fa#orite ro-ects&

The$ ha#e some change in the ch"rch or state% or !oth% constantl$ in their #iew& 5hen that is thecase% the$ are alwa$s !ad citi7ens and erfectl$ "ns"re connections& 2or% considering their

sec"lati#e designs as of infinite #al"e% and the act"al arrangement of the state as of no

estimation% the$ are at !est indifferent a!o"t it& The$ see no merit in the good% and no fa"lt in the

#icio"s% management of "!lic affairs. the$ rather re-oice in the latter% as more roitio"s tore#ol"tion& The$ see no merit or demerit in an$ man% or an$ action% or an$ olitical rincile an$

f"rther than as the$ ma$ forward or retard their design of change. the$ therefore ta+e "% one

da$% the most #iolent and stretched rerogati#e% and another time the wildest democratic ideas offreedom% and ass from one to the other witho"t an$ sort of regard to ca"se% to erson% or to

art$&

IN 2RANCE% $o" are now in the crisis of a re#ol"tion and in the transit from one form ofgo#ernment to another $o" cannot see that character of men e/actl$ in the same sit"ation in


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which we see it in this co"ntr$& 5ith "s it is militant. with $o" it is tri"mhant. and $o" +nowhow it can act when its ower is commens"rate to its will& I wo"ld not !e s"osed to confine

those o!ser#ations to an$ descrition of men or to comrehend all men of an$ descrition within

them NoG far from it& I am as incaa!le of that in-"stice as I am of +eeing terms with those

who rofess rinciles of e/tremities and who% "nder the name of religion% teach little else thanwild and dangero"s olitics& The worst of these olitics of re#ol"tion is this> the$ temer and

harden the !reast in order to reare it for the deserate stro+es which are sometimes "sed in

e/treme occasions& B"t as these occasions ma$ ne#er arri#e% the mind recei#es a grat"ito"s taint.and the moral sentiments s"ffer not a little when no olitical "rose is ser#ed !$ the

dera#ation& This sort of eole are so ta+en " with their theories a!o"t the rights of man that

the$ ha#e totall$ forgotten his nat"re& 5itho"t oening one new a#en"e to the "nderstanding%the$ ha#e s"cceeded in stoing " those that lead to the heart& The$ ha#e er#erted in

themsel#es% and in those that attend to them% all the well;laced s$mathies of the h"man !reast&

This famo"s sermon of the Old ?ewr$ !reathes nothing !"t this sirit thro"gh all theolitical art& Plots% massacres% assassinations seem to some eole a tri#ial rice for o!taining a

re#ol"tion& Chea% !loodless reformation% a g"iltless li!ert$ aear flat and #aid to their taste&

There m"st !e a great change of scene. there m"st !e a magnificent stage effect. there m"st !e agrand sectacle to ro"se the imagination grown torid with the la7$ en-o$ment of si/t$ $ears,

sec"rit$ and the still "nanimating reose of "!lic roserit$& The reacher fo"nd them all in the

2rench Re#ol"tion& This insires a -"#enile warmth thro"gh his whole frame& 1is enth"siasm+indles as he ad#ances. and when he arri#es at his eroration it is in a f"ll !la7e& Then #iewing%

from the Pisgah of his "lit% the free% moral% ha$% flo"rishing and glorio"s state of 2rance as

in a !ird,s;e$e landscae of a romised land% he !rea+s o"t into the following rat"re> 5hat an

e#entf"l eriod is thisG I am than+f"l that I ha#e li#ed to it. I co"ld almost sa$% 6ord% now lettesttho" th$ ser#ant deart in eace% for mine e$es ha#e seen th$ sal#ation& I ha#e li#ed to see a

diff"sion of +nowledge% which has "ndermined s"erstition and error& I ha#e li#ed to see the

rights of men !etter "nderstood than e#er. and nations anting for li!ert$ which seemed to ha#elost the idea of it& I ha#e li#ed to see thirt$ millions of eole% indignant and resol"te%

s"rning at sla#er$% and demanding li!ert$ with an irresisti!le #oice& Their +ing led in tri"mh

and an ar!itrar$ monarch s"rrendering himself to his s"!-ects&"12#

Before I roceed f"rther% I ha#e to remar+ that 4r& Price seems rather to o#er#al"e the

great ac0"isitions of light which he has o!tained and diff"sed in this age& The last cent"r$

aears to me to ha#e !een 0"ite as m"ch enlightened& It had% tho"gh in a different lace% atri"mh as memora!le as that of 4r& Price. and some of the great reachers of that eriod artoo+

of it as eagerl$ as he has done in the tri"mh of 2rance& On the trial of the Re#& 1"gh Peters for

high treason% it was deosed that% when =ing Charles was !ro"ght to 6ondon for his trial% the

Aostle of 6i!ert$ in that da$ cond"cted the tri"mh& I saw% sa$s the witness% his Ma-est$ inthe coach with si/ horses% and Peters riding !efore the +ing% tri"mhing& 4r& Price% when he

tal+s as if he had made a disco#er$% onl$ follows a recedent% for after the commencement of the

+ing,s trial this rec"rsor% the same 4r& Peters% concl"ding a long ra$er at the Ro$al Chael at5hitehall 8he had #er$ tri"mhantl$ chosen his lace9% said% I ha#e ra$ed and reached these

twent$ $ears. and now I ma$ sa$ with old Simeon% 6ord% now lettest tho" th$ ser#ant deart in

eace% for mine e$es ha#e seen th$ sal#ation& "13#Peters had not the fr"its of his ra$er% for he
http://www.constitution.org/eb/rev_fran.htm#12%2312http://www.constitution.org/eb/rev_fran.htm#12%2312http://www.constitution.org/eb/rev_fran.htm#13%2313http://www.constitution.org/eb/rev_fran.htm#12%2312http://www.constitution.org/eb/rev_fran.htm#13%2313


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neither dearted so soon as he wished% nor in eace& 1e !ecame 8what I heartil$ hoe none of hisfollowers ma$ !e in this co"ntr$9 himself a sacrifice to the tri"mh which he led as ontiff&

The$ dealt at the Restoration% erhas% too hardl$ with this oor good man& B"t we owe it

to his memor$ and his s"fferings that he had as m"ch ill"mination and as m"ch 7eal% and had aseffect"all$ "ndermined all the s"erstition and error which might imede the great !"siness he

was engaged in% as an$ who follow and reeat after him in this age% which wo"ld ass"me to itself

an e/cl"si#e title to the +nowledge of the rights of men and all the glorio"s conse0"ences of that+nowledge&

After this sall$ of the reacher of the Old ?ewr$% which differs onl$ in lace and time% !"t

agrees erfectl$ with the sirit and letter of the rat"re of ':@)% the Re#ol"tion Societ$% thefa!ricators of go#ernments% the heroic !and of cashierers of monarchs% electors of so#ereigns%

and leaders of +ings in tri"mh% str"tting with a ro"d conscio"sness of the diff"sion of

+nowledge of which e#er$ mem!er had o!tained so large a share in the donati#e% were in haste toma+e a genero"s diff"sion of the +nowledge the$ had th"s grat"ito"sl$ recei#ed& To ma+e this

!o"ntif"l comm"nication% the$ ad-o"rned from the ch"rch in the Old ?ewr$ to the 6ondonTa#ern% where the same 4r& Price% in whom the f"mes of his orac"lar triod were not entirel$

e#aorated% mo#ed and carried the resol"tion or address of congrat"lation transmitted !$ 6ordStanhoe to the National Assem!l$ of 2rance&

I find a reacher of the gosel rofaning the !ea"tif"l and rohetic e-ac"lation%commonl$ called n"nc dimittis% made on the first resentation of o"r Sa#io"r in the Temle%

and al$ing it with an inh"man and "nnat"ral rat"re to the most horrid% atrocio"s% and

afflicting sectacle that erhas e#er was e/hi!ited to the it$ and indignation of man+ind& This

leading in tri"mh% a thing in its !est form "nmanl$ and irreligio"s% which fills o"r reacherwith s"ch "nhallowed transorts% m"st shoc+% I !elie#e% the moral taste of e#er$ well;!orn mind&

Se#eral English were the st"efied and indignant sectators of that tri"mh& It was 8"nless we

ha#e !een strangel$ decei#ed9 a sectacle more resem!ling a rocession of American sa#ages%entering into Onondaga after some of their m"rders called #ictories and leading into ho#els h"ng

ro"nd with scals their cati#es% o#erowered with the scoffs and !"ffets of women as ferocio"s

as themsel#es% m"ch more than it resem!led the tri"mhal om of a ci#ili7ed martial nation if a ci#ili7ed nation% or an$ men who had a sense of generosit$% were caa!le of a ersonal

tri"mh o#er the fallen and afflicted&

T1IS% MY 4EAR SIR% was not the tri"mh of 2rance& I m"st !elie#e that% as a nation% ito#erwhelmed $o" with shame and horror& I m"st !elie#e that the National Assem!l$ find

themsel#es in a state of the greatest h"miliation in not !eing a!le to "nish the a"thors of thistri"mh or the actors in it% and that the$ are in a sit"ation in which an$ in0"ir$ the$ ma$ ma+e

"on the s"!-ect m"st !e destit"te e#en of the aearance of li!ert$ or imartialit$& The aolog$

of that assem!l$ is fo"nd in their sit"ation. !"t when we aro#e what the$ m"st !ear% it is in "sthe degenerate choice of a #itiated mind&

5ith a comelled aearance of deli!eration% the$ #ote "nder the dominion of a stern

necessit$& The$ sit in the heart% as it were% of a foreign re"!lic> the$ ha#e their residence in acit$ whose constit"tion has emanated neither from the charter of their +ing nor from their

legislati#e ower& There the$ are s"rro"nded !$ an arm$ not raised either !$ the a"thorit$ of their

crown or !$ their command% and which% if the$ sho"ld order to dissol#e itself% wo"ld instantl$


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!lood silled was not the most "reG 5hat m"st the$ ha#e felt% when the$ were !esieged !$comlaints of disorders which shoo+ their co"ntr$ to its fo"ndations% at !eing comelled cooll$

to tell the comlainants that the$ were "nder the rotection of the law% and that the$ wo"ld

address the +ing 8the cati#e +ing9 to ca"se the laws to !e enforced for their rotection. when the

ensla#ed ministers of that cati#e +ing had formall$ notified to them that there were neither lawnor a"thorit$ nor ower left to rotect< 5hat m"st the$ ha#e felt at !eing o!liged% as a

felicitation on the resent new $ear% to re0"est their cati#e +ing to forget the storm$ eriod of

the last% on acco"nt of the great good which he was li+el$ to rod"ce to his eole. to thecomlete attainment of which good the$ ad-o"rned the ractical demonstrations of their lo$alt$%

ass"ring him of their o!edience when he sho"ld no longer ossess an$ a"thorit$ to command Non satis est "lchra esse oemata%

d"lcia s"nto& There o"ght to !e a s$stem of manners in e#er$ nation which a well;informed mind

wo"ld !e disosed to relish& To ma+e "s lo#e o"r co"ntr$% o"r co"ntr$ o"ght to !e lo#el$&

B"t ower% of some +ind or other% will s"r#i#e the shoc+ in which manners and oinions

erish. and it will find other and worse means for its s"ort& The "s"ration which% in order to


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s"!#ert ancient instit"tions% has destro$ed ancient rinciles will hold ower !$ arts similar tothose !$ which it has ac0"ired it& 5hen the old fe"dal and chi#alro"s sirit of fealt$% which% !$

freeing +ings from fear% freed !oth +ings and s"!-ects from the reca"tions of t$rann$% shall !e

e/tinct in the minds of men% lots and assassinations will !e anticiated !$ re#enti#e m"rder

and re#enti#e confiscation% and that long roll of grim and !lood$ ma/ims which form theolitical code of all ower not standing on its own honor and the honor of those who are to o!e$

it&

=ings will !e t$rants from olic$ when s"!-ects are re!els from rincile&

5hen ancient oinions and r"les of life are ta+en awa$% the loss cannot ossi!l$ !e

estimated& 2rom that moment we ha#e no comass to go#ern "s. nor can we +now distinctl$ towhat ort we steer& E"roe% "ndo"!tedl$% ta+en in a mass% was in a flo"rishing condition the da$

on which $o"r re#ol"tion was comleted& 1ow m"ch of that rosero"s state was owing to the

sirit of o"r old manners and oinions is not eas$ to sa$. !"t as s"ch ca"ses cannot !e indifferentin their oeration% we m"st res"me that on the whole their oeration was !eneficial&

5e are !"t too at to consider things in the state in which we find them% witho"ts"fficientl$ ad#erting to the ca"ses !$ which the$ ha#e !een rod"ced and ossi!l$ ma$ !e"held& Nothing is more certain than that o"r manners% o"r ci#ili7ation% and all the good things

which are connected with manners and with ci#ili7ation ha#e% in this E"roean world of o"rs%

deended for ages "on two rinciles and were% indeed% the res"lt of !oth com!ined> I mean thesirit of a gentleman and the sirit of religion& The no!ilit$ and the clerg$% the one !$ rofession%

the other !$ atronage% +et learning in e/istence% e#en in the midst of arms and conf"sions% and

whilst go#ernments were rather in their ca"ses than formed& 6earning aid !ac+ what it recei#ed

to no!ilit$ and to riesthood% and aid it with "s"r$% !$ enlarging their ideas and !$ f"rnishingtheir minds& 1a$ if the$ had all contin"ed to +now their indissol"!le "nion and their roer

laceG 1a$ if learning% not de!a"ched !$ am!ition% had !een satisfied to contin"e the

instr"ctor% and not asired to !e the masterG Along with its nat"ral rotectors and g"ardians%learning will !e cast into the mire and trodden down "nder the hoofs of a swinish"1m"ltit"de&

If% as I s"sect% modern letters owe more than the$ are alwa$s willing to own to ancient

manners% so do other interests which we #al"e f"ll as m"ch as the$ are worth& E#en commerceand trade and man"fact"re% the gods of o"r economical oliticians% are themsel#es erhas !"t

creat"res% are themsel#es !"t effects which% as first ca"ses% we choose to worshi& The$ certainl$

grew "nder the same shade in which learning flo"rished& The$% too% ma$ deca$ with their nat"ralrotecting rinciles& 5ith $o"% for the resent at least% the$ all threaten to disaear together&

5here trade and man"fact"res are wanting to a eole% and the sirit of no!ilit$ and religion

remains% sentiment s"lies% and not alwa$s ill s"lies% their lace. !"t if commerce and the artssho"ld !e lost in an e/eriment to tr$ how well a state ma$ stand witho"t these old f"ndamental

rinciles% what sort of a thing m"st !e a nation of gross% st"id% ferocio"s% and% at the same time%oor and sordid !ar!arians% destit"te of religion% honor% or manl$ ride% ossessing nothing at

resent% and hoing for nothing hereafter !eca"se it is

nat"ral I sho"ld. !eca"se we are so made as to !e affected at s"ch sectacles with melanchol$sentiments "on the "nsta!le condition of mortal roserit$ and the tremendo"s "ncertaint$ of

h"man greatness. !eca"se in those nat"ral feelings we learn great lessons. !eca"se in e#ents li+e

these o"r assions instr"ct o"r reason. !eca"se when +ings are h"rled from their thrones !$ the

S"reme 4irector of this great drama and !ecome the o!-ects of ins"lt to the !ase and of it$ tothe good% we !ehold s"ch disasters in the moral as we sho"ld !ehold a miracle in the h$sical

order of things& 5e are alarmed into reflection. o"r minds 8as it has long since !een o!ser#ed9 are

"rified !$ terror and it$% o"r wea+% "nthin+ing ride is h"m!led "nder the disensations of am$sterio"s wisdom& Some tears might !e drawn from me if s"ch a sectacle were e/hi!ited on

the stage& I sho"ld !e tr"l$ ashamed of finding in m$self that s"erficial% theatric sense of ainted

distress whilst I co"ld e/"lt o#er it in real life& 5ith s"ch a er#erted mind I co"ld ne#er #ent"reto show m$ face at a traged$& Peole wo"ld thin+ the tears that 3arric+ formerl$% or that Siddons

not long since% ha#e e/torted from me were the tears of h$ocris$. I sho"ld +now them to !e the

tears of foll$&

Indeed% the theatre is a !etter school of moral sentiments than ch"rches% where the

feelings of h"manit$ are th"s o"traged& Poets who ha#e to deal with an a"dience not $et

grad"ated in the school of the rights of men and who m"st al$ themsel#es to the moralconstit"tion of the heart wo"ld not dare to rod"ce s"ch a tri"mh as a matter of e/"ltation&

There% where men follow their nat"ral im"lses% the$ wo"ld not !ear the odio"s ma/ims of a

Machia#ellian olic$% whether alied to the attainments of monarchical or democratic t$rann$&

The$ wo"ld re-ect them on the modern as the$ once did on the ancient stage% where the$ co"ldnot !ear e#en the h$othetical roosition of s"ch wic+edness in the mo"th of a ersonated

t$rant% tho"gh s"ita!le to the character he s"stained& No theatric a"dience in Athens wo"ld !earwhat has !een !orne in the midst of the real traged$ of this tri"mhal da$> a rincial actorweighing% as it were% in scales h"ng in a sho of horrors% so m"ch act"al crime against so m"ch

contingent ad#antage. and after "tting in and o"t weights% declaring that the !alance was on the

side of the ad#antages& The$ wo"ld not !ear to see the crimes of new democrac$ osted as in aledger against the crimes of old desotism% and the !oo+;+eeers of olitics finding democrac$

still in de!t% !"t !$ no means "na!le or "nwilling to a$ the !alance& In the theater% the first

int"iti#e glance% witho"t an$ ela!orate rocess of reasoning% will show that this method of


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olitical com"tation wo"ld -"stif$ e#er$ e/tent of crime& The$ wo"ld see that on theserinciles% e#en where the #er$ worst acts were not eretrated% it was owing rather to the

fort"ne of the consirators than to thei

reflections on the revolution in france - edmund burke (1729 - 1797)

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