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
Is it for this benefit we open "the usual relations of peace and amity"?
Is it for this our youth of both sexes are to form themselves by travel?
Is it for this that with expense and pains we form their lisping infant
accents to the language of France? I shall be told that this abominable
medley is made rather to revolt young and ingenuous minds. So it is in
the description. So perhaps it may in reality to a chosen few. So it may
be, when the magistrate, the law, and the church frown on such manners,
and the wretches to whom they belong,--when they are chased from the
eye of day, and the society of civil life, into night-cellars and caves
and woods. But when these men themselves are the magistrates,--when all
the consequence, weight, and authority of a great nation adopt
them,--when we see them conjoined with victory, glory, power, and
dominion, and homage paid to them by every government,--it is not
possible that the downhill should not be slid into, recommended by
everything which has opposed it. Let it be remembered that no young man
can go to any part of Europe without taking this place of pestilential
contagion in his way; and whilst the less active part of the community
will be debauched by this travel, whilst children are poisoned at these
schools, our trade will put the finishing hand to our ruin. No factory
will be settled in France, that will not become a club of complete
French Jacobins. The minds of young men of that description will receive
a taint in their religion, their morals, and their politics, which they
will in a short time communicate to the whole kingdom.
Whilst everything prepares the body to debauch and the mind to crime, a
regular church of avowed atheism, established by law, with a direct and
sanguinary persecution of Christianity, is formed to prevent all
amendment and remorse. Conscience is formally deposed from its dominion
over the mind. What fills the measure of horror is, that schools of
atheism are set up at the public charge in every part of the country.
That some English parents will be wicked enough to send their children
to such schools there is no doubt. Better this island should be sunk to
the bottom of the sea than that (so far as human infirmity admits) it
should not be a country of religion and morals!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account