Thoughts on the Present Discontents, and SpeechesBurke, Edmund
General
Thoughts on the Present Discontents, and Speeches
Burke, Edmund
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1760-1789
that power should be recovered, the Junto have thrown up a retrenchment
of these carcases, which may serve to cover themselves in a day of
danger. They conclude, not unwisely, that such rotten members will
become the first objects of disgust and resentment to their ancient
connections.
They contrive to form in the outward Administration two parties at the
least; which, whilst they are tearing one another to pieces, are both
competitors for the favour and protection of the Cabal; and, by their
emulation, contribute to throw everything more and more into the hands of
the interior managers.
A Minister of State will sometimes keep himself totally estranged from
all his colleagues; will differ from them in their counsels, will
privately traverse, and publicly oppose, their measures. He will,
however, continue in his employment. Instead of suffering any mark of
displeasure, he will be distinguished by an unbounded profusion of Court
rewards and caresses; because he does what is expected, and all that is
expected, from men in office. He helps to keep some form of
Administration in being, and keeps it at the same time as weak and
divided as possible.
However, we must take care not to be mistaken, or to imagine that such
persons have any weight in their opposition. When, by them,
Administration is convinced of its insignificancy, they are soon to be
convinced of their own. They never are suffered to succeed in their
opposition. They and the world are to be satisfied, that neither office,
nor authority, nor property, nor ability, eloquence, counsel, skill, or
union, are of the least importance; but that the mere influence of the
Court, naked of all support, and destitute of all management, is
abundantly sufficient for all its own purposes.
When any adverse connection is to be destroyed, the Cabal seldom appear
in the work themselves. They find out some person of whom the party
entertains a high opinion. Such a person they endeavour to delude with
various pretences. They teach him first to distrust, and then to quarrel
with his friends; among whom, by the same arts, they excite a similar
diffidence of him; so that in this mutual fear and distrust, he may
suffer himself to be employed as the instrument in the change which is
brought about. Afterwards they are sure to destroy him in his turn; by
setting up in his place some person in whom he had himself reposed the
greatest confidence, and who serves to carry on a considerable part of
his adherents.
When such a person has broke in this manner with his connections, he is
soon compelled to commit some flagrant act of iniquitous personal
hostility against some of them (such as an attempt to strip a particular
friend of his family estate), by which the Cabal hope to render the
parties utterly irreconcilable. In truth, they have so contrived
matters, that people have a greater hatred to the subordinate instruments
than to the principal movers.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account