Life of Lord Byron, Vol. 6: With His Letters and JournalsMoore, Thomas
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Life of Lord Byron, Vol. 6: With His Letters and Journals
Moore, Thomas
Byron, George Gordon Byron, Baron, 1788-1824; Poets, English -- 19th century -- Biography
But there are who assert that the Catholics have already been too
much indulged. See (cry they) what has been done: we have given them
one entire college, we allow them food and raiment, the full
enjoyment of the elements, and leave to fight for us as long as they
have limbs and lives to offer, and yet they are never to be
satisfied!--Generous and just declaimers! To this, and to this only,
amount the whole of your arguments, when stript of their sophistry.
Those personages remind me of a story of a certain drummer, who,
being called upon in the course of duty to administer punishment to a
friend tied to the halberts, was requested to flog high, he did--to
flog low, he did--to flog in the middle, he did,--high, low, down the
middle, and up again, but all in vain; the patient continued his
complaints with the most provoking pertinacity, until the drummer,
exhausted and angry, flung down his scourge, exclaiming, "The devil
burn you, there's no pleasing you, flog where one will!" Thus it is,
you have flogged the Catholic high, low, here, there, and every
where, and then you wonder he is not pleased. It is true that time,
experience, and that weariness which attends even the exercise of
barbarity, have taught you to flog a little more gently; but still
you continue to lay on the lash, and will so continue, till perhaps
the rod may be wrested from your hands, and applied to the backs of
yourselves and your posterity.
It was said by somebody in a former debate, (I forget by whom, and am
not very anxious to remember,) if the Catholics are emancipated, why
not the Jews? If this sentiment was dictated by compassion for the
Jews, it might deserve attention, but as a sneer against the
Catholic, what is it but the language of Shylock transferred from his
daughter's marriage to Catholic emancipation--
"Would any of the tribe of Barabbas
Should have it rather than a Christian."
I presume a Catholic is a Christian, even in the opinion of him whose
taste only can be called in question for his preference of the Jews.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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