thoughts on the present discontents-第1节

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Thoughts　on　the　Present　Discontents；　and　Speeches

by　Edmund　Burke





Contents


Introduction
Thoughts　on　the　Present　Discontents
Speech　on　the　Middlesex　Election。
Speech　on　the　Powers　of　Juries　in　Prosecutions　for　Libels。
Speech　on　a　Bill　for　Shortening　the　Duration　of　Parliaments
Speech　on　Reform　of　Representation　in　the　House　of　Commons



INTRODUCTION



Edmund　Burke　was　born　at　Dublin　on　the　first　of　January；　1730。　　His
father　was　an　attorney；　who　had　fifteen　children；　of　whom　all　but
four　died　in　their　youth。　　Edmund；　the　second　son；　being　of　delicate
health　in　his　childhood；　was　taught　at　home　and　at　his　grandfather's
house　in　the　country　before　he　was　sent　with　his　two　brothers
Garrett　and　Richard　to　a　school　at　Ballitore；　under　Abraham
Shackleton；　a　member　of　the　Society　of　Friends。　　For　nearly　forty
years　afterwards　Burke　paid　an　annual　visit　to　Ballitore。

In　1744；　after　leaving　school；　Burke　entered　Trinity　College；
Dublin。　　He　graduated　B。A。　in　1748；　M。A。；　1751。　　In　1750　he　came　to
London；　to　the　Middle　Temple。　　In　1756　Burke　became　known　as　a
writer；　by　two　pieces。　　One　was　a　pamphlet　called　〃A　Vindication　of
Natural　Society。〃　　This　was　an　ironical　piece；　reducing　to　absurdity
those　theories　of　the　excellence　of　uncivilised　humanity　which　were
gathering　strength　in　France；　and　had　been　favoured　in　the
philosophical　works　of　Bolingbroke；　then　lately　published。　　Burke's
other　work　published　in　1756；　was　his　〃Essay　on　the　Sublime　and
Beautiful。〃

At　this　time　Burke's　health　broke　down。　　He　was　cared　for　in　the
house　of　a　kindly　physician；　Dr。　Nugent；　and　the　result　was　that　in
the　spring　of　1757　he　married　Dr。　Nugent's　daughter。　　In　the
following　year　Burke　made　Samuel　Johnson's　acquaintance；　and
acquaintance　ripened　fast　into　close　friendship。　　In　1758；　also；　a
son　was　born；　and；　as　a　way　of　adding　to　his　income；　Burke　suggested
the　plan　of　〃The　Annual　Register。〃

In　1761　Burke　became　private　secretary　to　William　Gerard　Hamilton；
who　was　then　appointed　Chief　Secretary　to　Ireland。　　In　April；　1763；
Burke's　services　were　recognised　by　a　pension　of　300　pounds　a　year；
but　he　threw　this　up　in　April；　1765；　when　he　found　that　his　services
were　considered　to　have　been　not　only　recognised；　but　also　bought。
On　the　10th　of　July　in　that　year　（1765）　Lord　Rockingham　became
Premier；　and　a　week　later　Burke；　through　the　good　offices　of　an
admiring　friend　who　had　come　to　know　him　in　the　newly…founded　Turk's
Head　Club；　became　Rockingham's　private　secretary。　　He　was　now　the
mainstay；　if　not　the　inspirer；　of　Rockingham's　policy　of　pacific
compromise　in　the　vexed　questions　between　England　and　the　American
colonies。　　Burke's　elder　brother；　who　had　lately　succeeded　to　his
father's　property；　died　also　in　1765；　and　Burke　sold　the　estate　in
Cork　for　4；000　pounds。

Having　become　private　secretary　to　Lord　Rockingham；　Burke　entered
Parliament　as　member　for　Wendover；　and　promptly　took　his　place　among
the　leading　speakers　in　the　House。

On　the　30th　of　July；　1766；　the　Rockingham　Ministry　went　out；　and
Burke　wrote　a　defence　of　its　policy　in　〃A　Short　Account　of　a　late
Short　Administration。〃　　In　1768　Burke　bought　for　23；000　pounds　an
estate　called　Gregories　or　Butler's　Court；　about　a　mile　from
Beaconsfield。　　He　called　it　by　the　more　territorial　name　of
Beaconsfield；　and　made　it　his　home。　　Burke's　endeavours　to　stay　the
policy　that　was　driving　the　American　colonies　to　revolution；　caused
the　State　of　New　York；　in　1771；　to　nominate　him　as　its　agent。　　About
May；　1769；　Edmund　Burke　began　the　pamphlet　here　given；　Thoughts　on
the　Present　Discontents。　　It　was　published　in　1770；　and　four
editions　of　it　were　issued　before　the　end　of　the　year。　　It　was
directed　chiefly　against　Court　influence；　that　had　first　been　used
successfully　against　the　Rockingham　Ministry。　　Allegiance　to
Rockingham　caused　Burke　to　write　the　pamphlet；　but　he　based　his
argument　upon　essentials　of　his　own　faith　as　a　statesman。　　It　was
the　beginning　of　the　larger　utterance　of　his　political　mind。

Court　influence　was　strengthened　in　those　days　by　the　large　number
of　newly…rich　men；　who　bought　their　way　into　the　House　of　Commons
for　personal　reasons　and　could　easily　be　attached　to　the　King's
party。　　In　a　population　of　8；000；000　there　were　then　but　160；000
electors；　mostly　nominal。　　The　great　land…owners　generally　held　the
counties。　　When　two　great　houses　disputed　the　county　of　York；　the
election　lasted　fourteen　days；　and　the　costs；　chiefly　in　bribery；
were　said　to　have　reached　three　hundred　thousand　pounds。　　Many　seats
in　Parliament　were　regarded　as　hereditary　possessions；　which　could
be　let　at　rental；　or　to　which　the　nominations　could　be　sold。　　Town
corporations　often　let；　to　the　highest　bidders；　seats　in　Parliament；
for　the　benefit　of　the　town　funds。　　The　election　of　John　Wilkes　for
Middlesex；　in　1768；　was　taken　as　a　triumph　of　the　people。　　The　King
and　his　ministers　then　brought　the　House　of　Commons　into　conflict
with　the　freeholders　of　Westminster。　　Discontent　became　active　and
general。　　〃Junius〃　began；　in　his　letters；　to　attack　boldly　the
King's　friends；　and　into　the　midst　of　the　discontent　was　thrown　a
message　from　the　Crown　asking　for　half　a　million；　to　make　good　a
shortcoming　in　the　Civil　List。　　Men　asked　in　vain　what　had　been　done
with　the　lost　money。　　Confusion　at　home　was　increased　by　the　great
conflict　with　the　American　colonies；　discontents；　ever　present；　were
colonial　as　well　as　home。　　In　such　a　time　Burke　endeavoured　to　show
by　what　pilotage　he　would　have　men　weather　the　storm。

H。　M。



THOUGHTS　ON　THE　PRESENT　DISCONTENTS



It　is　an　undertaking　of　some　degree　of　delicacy　to　examine　into　the
cause　of　public　disorders。　　If　a　man　happens　not　to　succeed　in　such
an　inquiry；　he　will　be　thought　weak　and　visionary；　if　he　touches　the
true　grievance；　there　is　a　danger　that　he　may　come　near　to　persons
of　weight　and　consequence；　who　will　rather　be　exasperated　at　the
discovery　of　their　errors　than　thankful　for　the　occasion　of
correcting　them。　　If　he　should　be　obliged　to　blame　the　favourites　of
the　people；　he　will　be　considered　as　the　tool　of　power；　if　he
censures　those　in　power；　he　will　be　looked　on　as　an　instrument　of
faction。　　But　in　all　exertions　of　duty　something　is　to　be　hazarded。
In　cases　of　tumult　and　disorder；　our　law　has　invested　every　man；　in
some　sort；　with　the　authority　of　a　magistrate。　　When　the　affairs　of
the　nation　are　distracted；　private　people　are；　by　the　spirit　of　that
law；　justified　in　stepping　a　little　out　of　their　ordinary　sphere。
They　enjoy　a　privilege　of　somewhat　more　dignity　and　effect　than　that
of　idle　lamentation　over　the　calamities　of　their　country。　　They　may
look　into　them　narrowly；　they　may　reason　upon　them　liberally；　and　if
they　should　be　so　fortunate　as　to　discover　the　true　source　of　the
mischief；　and　to　suggest　any　probable　method　of　removing　it；　though
they　may　displease　the　rulers　for　the　day；　they　are　certainly　of
service　to　the　cause　of　Government。　　Government　is　deeply　interested
in　everything　which；　even　through　the　medium　of　some　temporary
uneasiness；　may　tend　finally　to　compose　the　minds　of　the　subjects；
and　to　conciliate　their　affections。　　I　have　nothing　to　do　here　with
the　abstract　value　of　the　voice　of　the　people。　　But　as　long　as
reputation；　the　most　precious　possession　of　every　individual；　and　as
long　as　opinion；　the　great　support　of　the　State；　depend　entirely
upon　that　voice；　it　can　never　be　considered　as　a　thing　of　little
consequence　either　to　individuals　or　to　Government。　　Nations　are　not
primarily　ruled　by　laws；　less　by　violence。　　Whatever　original　energy
may　be　supposed　either　in　force　or　regulation；　the　operation　of　both
is；　in　truth；　merely　instrumental。　　Nations　are　governed　by　the　same
methods；　and　on　the　same　principles；　by　which　an　individual　without
authority　is　often　able　to　govern　those　who　are　his　equals　or　his
superiors；　by　a　knowledge　of　their　temper；　and　by　a　judicious
management　of　it；　I　mean；　when　public　affairs　are　steadily　and
quietly　conducted：　　not　when　Government　is　nothing　but　a　continued
scuffle　between　the　magistrate　and　the　multitude；　in　which　sometimes
the　one　and　sometimes　the　other　is　uppermostin　which　they
alternately　yield　and　prevail；　in　a　series　of　contemptible　victories
and　scandalous　submissions。　　The　temper　of　the　people　amongst　whom
he　presides　ought　therefore　to　be　the　first　study　of　a　statesman。
And　the　knowledge　of　this　temper　it　is　by　no　means　impossible　for
him　to　attain；　if　he　has　not　an　interest　in　being　ignorant　of　what
it　is　his　duty　to　learn。

To　complain　of　the　age　we　live　in；　to　murmur　at　the　present
possessors　of　power；　to　lament　the　past；　to　conceive　extravagant
hopes　of　the　future；　are　the　common　dispositions　of　the　greater　part
of　mankindindeed；　the　necessary　effects　of　the　ignorance　and
levity　of　the　vulgar。　　Such　complaints　and　humours　have　existed　in
all　times；　yet　as　all　times　have　NOT　been　alike；　true　political
sagacity　manifests　itself；　in　distinguishing　that　complaint　which
only　characterises　the　general　infirmity　of　human　nature　from　those
which　are　symptoms　of　the　particular　distemperature　of　our　own　air
and　season。