The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 06 (of 12)Burke, Edmund
Philosophy
The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 06 (of 12)
Burke, Edmund
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1760-1820; Political science -- Early works to 1800
powers more moderation in their second than they had shown in their
first division of that devoted country. The first division, which
preceded these destructive examples, was moderation itself, in
comparison of what has been, done since the period of the author's
amendment.
This paragraph is written with something of a studied obscurity. If it
means anything, it seems to hint as if sovereigns were to learn
moderation, and an attention to the liberties of their people, from _the
fate of the sovereigns who have suffered in this war_, and eminently of
Louis the Sixteenth.
Will he say whether the King of Sardinia's horrible tyranny was the
cause of the loss of Savoy and of Nice? What lesson of moderation does
it teach the Pope? I desire to know whether his Holiness is to learn not
to massacre his subjects, nor to waste and destroy such beautiful
countries as that of Avignon, lest he should call to their assistance
that great deliverer of nations, _Jourdan Coupe-tete_? What lesson does
it give of moderation to the Emperor, whose predecessor never put one
man to death after a general rebellion of the Low Countries, that the
Regicides never spared man, woman, or child, whom they but suspected of
dislike to their usurpations? What, then, are all these lessons about
the _softening_ the character of sovereigns by this Regicide peace? On
reading this section, one would imagine that the poor tame sovereigns of
Europe had been a sort of furious wild beasts, that stood in need of
some uncommonly rough discipline to subdue the ferocity of their savage
nature.
As to the example to be learnt from the murder of Louis the Sixteenth,
if a lesson to kings is not derived from his fate, I do not know whence
it can come. The author, however, ought not to have left us in the dark
upon that subject, to break our shins over his hints and insinuations.
Is it, then, true, that this unfortunate monarch drew his punishment
upon himself by his want of moderation, and his oppressing the liberties
of which he had found his people in possession? Is not the direct
contrary the fact? And is not the example of this Revolution the very
reverse of anything which can lead to that _softening_ of character in
princes which the author supposes as a security to the people, and has
brought forward as a recommendation to fraternity with those who have
administered that happy emollient in the murder of their king and the
slavery and desolation of their country?
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