may have had the following passage in his ear when he wrote the above clause: The inclination is natural in them all, pardonable in those who have not yet made their fortunes: and as lawful in the rest as love of power or love of money can make it. But as natural, as pardonable, and as lawful as this inclination is, where it is not under check of the civil power, or when a corrupt ministry,' &c. Swift, Examiner, No. xxiv. 1. 15. with all its imperfections,' &c. This well-known phrase from Hamlet is a favourite quotation with Burke. See vol. i. p. 185, l. 5. P. 220, 1. 22. How war, &c. Milton, Sonnet xvii. 1. 7. P. 221, 1. 7. Proving its title, &c. Among many embodiments of this commonplace, Shakespeare's is perhaps the best: Therefore, brave conquerors! for so you are, That war against your own affections, And the huge army of the world's desires,' &c. Love's Labour's Lost, Act i. Scene I. 1. 28. palmy state.' Cp. note, p. 7, l. 13, ante. 1. 29. brighter lustre than in the present, &c. Burke alludes to the English campaign in the Low Countries under the Duke of York. The British contingent took the field at the investment of Valenciennes, which surrendered to the Duke of York, July 28, 1793. A month after, the Duke was besieging Dunkirk: but was forced to raise the siege suddenly by the arrival of overwhelming reinforcements to the enemy. He took the lead in the succeeding year, capturing all the posts between Courtray and Lille; and the English contingent was distinguished in the repulse of the French at Tournay, May 10, 1794. The English ranks were greatly thinned by the terrible fighting at Turcoing, on the 18th and 22nd, while the severe losses they inflicted on the enemy drew from the Convention a decree denying all quarter to the British and Hanoverian troops. Moreau and several other French generals, to their honour, refused to execute this savage decree. A month afterwards, the decisive battle of Fleurus gave Flanders to the French. At the head of an overwhelming number of troops, Pichegru drove the Duke into Holland. The states of Holland having submitted to the French early in 1795 and the English army, pursued by Macdonald and Moreau, had to retreat through a practically hostile country into German territory. They embarked at Bremerhaven for England, 1795. P. 222, 1. 9. distant possessions. West Indies. 1. 12. neighbouring colonies. The British West Indies. one sweeping law, &c. That of August, 1793, which decreed a levy of the people en masse until the enemy should be driven from the soil of the Republic. 1. 31. invasion. The alarm of invasion naturally began to be felt as England was gradually deserted by the Allies, as a consequence of the great development of France, and her bitterness against England. After the Peace of Campo Formio England was left absolutely alone, and the probability of invasion was redoubled. P. 223, 1. 4. forty years ago. In the time of the elder Pitt and his vigorous war-policy. P. 224, 1. 20. much more to dread. See Burke's famous Letter to a Noble Lord. 1. 29. The excesses of delicacy, &c. The argument is amplified in a note of Southey's: 'It is the lowest class which supplies the constant consumption of society. It is they who are cut off by contagious diseases, who are poisoned in manufactories, who supply our fleets and armies. The other class of society are exempt from most of these chances of destruction, yet they produce little or no surplus of population, and the families of all such as have been truly illustrious soon become extinct. The most thoughtful people taken as a body are the least prolific. An increase of animal life depends on something more than animal passion, or the abundance of the means of subsistence.' P. 225, 1. 3. whose name, &c. These touching words allude to the recent death of the author's only son in 1794. 1. 1. the ancients. Burke alludes to his favourite philosopher, Aristotle. P. 234, l. 14. The allusion is to the statutory registration of deeds in that county. P. 238, 1. IT. 'migravit ab aure voluptas.' Hor. Ep. ii. 1. 187. P. 239, 1. 7. all the three theatres. The famed old ones of Drury Lane and Covent Garden, and the 'Little Theatre' in the Haymarket, made popular by Foote and Colman. 1. 28. my first political tract. The Observations on the State of the Nation.' See ante, p. 195. The publication of the quarto edition of his works evidently attracted Burke's attention anew to this early production. P. 251, 1. 5. The different Bills. The first bill, originated by a private company, was introduced in the previous session (1795-6), supported by the leading merchants, and by the East India Company. It was defeated by the interest of the corporation of London. The second bill, containing the rival scheme of the corporation, was introduced early in 1797. P. 254, 1. 25. bore-the sudden rush of a high tidal wave up a creek or river. P. 256, 1. 30. Famish their virtues, &c. The image belongs to Young: 'Eusebius, though liberal to the demands of nature, rank, and duty, starves vice, caprice, and folly.' Letter on Pleasure, iii. P. 257, 1. 4. mines of Newfoundland. The fisheries. The expulsion of the French from St. Pierre and Miquelon (see Introduction) had thrown them exclusively into English hands. LETTER IV. P. 261, l. 20. eternal duration. See for examples the conclusion of Horace's Odes and Ovid's Metamorphoses. 1. 34. Parisian September. The allusion is to the memorable September of 1792. P. 264, 1. 3. Second edition. Burke waited to watch the effect of Lord Auckland's work on the public. It had been out about two months when the criticism was begun. 1. 14. Qualis in aethereo. 1. 18. simple country folk. in retirement at Beaconsfield. Tibullus, Lib. iv. Carm. 2. Burke was no longer in Parliament: he lived P. 267. The style here, as in many other parts, is that of a speech in debate. P. 269, 1. 19. Esto perpetua. Father Paul Sarpi's dying prayer for his country (Venice). See Dr. Johnson's Life of him. P. 270, 1. 24. restored the two countries, &c. Thomson alludes to the idea, 'Liberty,' Part iv.: 'Since first the rushing flood Urged by almighty power, this favoured isle Indented shore to shore responsive still.' 6 P. 272, 1. 7. ' That strain I heard,' &c. Milton, Lycidas. 1. 9. a style which, &c. Burke somewhat unfairly contrasts the flimsy style of Auckland's pamphlet with that of Grenville's Declaration. The compositions were in different kinds. P. 274, 1. 6. first republic in the world. Holland. 1. 18. Pomoerium. The limit of the precincts of ancient Rome. 1. 29. boulimia. P. 275, 1. 12. See ante, p. 150, l. 3. Doctor in Molière. See 'Le Malade Imaginaire.' P. 276, 1. 13. opinion of some. See the opening of the first chapter. That empires fall by their own weight is not only an ill-formed analogy, but formed on false premises. A tree, or a building, never falls by its own weight until some other cause has done its work. P. 277, l. 10. once to doubt,' &c. Othello, Act iii. sc. 3. 1. 24. excellent Berkeley. Bishop Berkeley's Queries, mainly directed to the condition of Ireland, make an important epoch in the history of Political Economy. P. 279, l. 15. dare not be wise. 'Sapere aude.' Horace, Epistles, i. 2. 40. 1. 18. 'To-morrow and to-morrow,' &c. See Macbeth, Act v. sc. 5. P. 280, 1. 32. the famous Jurieu. Pierre Jurieu (1637-1713) a Protestant theologian of some eminence, had satisfied himself by study of the Prophets and Apocalypse that the year 1689 would witness the final triumph of Protestantism over Rome. As the time approached, so jubilant were the par tisans of his views that a medal was struck in his honour with the legend 'Jurius Propheta.' The year 1689 however, passed without seeing his predictions fulfilled. Jurieu reapplied himself to his studies, and discovered that he had made an error of twenty-six years, and that 1715 was the real date of the second advent of the Messiah and the fall of Antichrist. Before this date the prophet died. Among his numerous writings is a curious one entitled 'Les Soupirs de la France esclave qui respire après la liberté.' It denounced the tyranny of Louis XIV, and asserted the sovereignty of the people. 1. 34. Mr. Brothers. Richard Brothers was a harmless fanatic who prophesied and published various pamphlets containing his prophecies. In 1792 ' he was commanded by the Lord God to go down to the House of Parliament and acquaint the members for their own personal safety and the general benefit of the country that the time of the world was come to fulfil the 7th chapter of Daniel.' But on his publishing his prophetic mission to George III to deliver up his crown, that all his power and authority might cease,' he was taken up on a warrant, on suspicion of treasonable practices. One member of Parliament, a Mr. Halhed, believed in him, and repeatedly strove to bring his wrongs before the house. P. 281, 1. 7. gemitus Columbæ. Cooings. Isaiah lix. 11 (Vulg.). P. 282, 1. 14. untimely wisdom, &c. Eventus ille stultorum magister,' Livy. P. 285, 1. 33. Jourdan Coupe-tête. Matthew Jourdan, the illiterate ruffian who devastated the Comtat Venaissin, and executed the horrible 'Massacre de la Glacière' at Avignon. The Revolutionary Tribunal rid the world of him in 1794. 1. 34. whose Predecessor, &c. Joseph the Second. P. 286, 1. 33. Juignie-Cardinal de Rochefoucault. Juigné, Bishop of Chalons, had taken part in the famous sitting of the 4th of August, 1789, and proposed a Te Deum in celebration of it. He was now in exile at Constance. As to the Cardinal de Rochefoucault, see note to vol. ii. p. 135, 1. 21. P. 287, l. 1. their very beings. Perhaps borrowed from what Grattan had said of the famous preacher Dr. Kirwan: ‘In feeding the lamp of charity he had almost exhausted the lamp of life.' Speech on the Address, Jan. 19, 1792. P. 288, 1. 3. D'Espremenil. D'Espremenil had been a minister before the Revolution. On the establishment of the Convention he had retired to the country, and ceased to take any part in politics. From his country seat he was suddenly called before the Revolutionary tribunal, condemned, and executed, in 1794. 1. 5. Malesherbes. The famous ally of Turgot, in his plans for saving France by timely fiscal and constitutional reforms. He had been the king's advocate at his trial. After the king's execution, he also retired to the country whence he was brought before the Revolutionary tribunal, con- P. 289, 1. 3. 'last that wore the imperial purple. The prophecy was P. 290, 1. 4. humility and submission—silent adoration—trembling wings. 'Hope humbly then; with trembling pinions soar: Wait the great teacher Death, and God adore.' 1. 30. old Trivulzio. The famous old general was then (1515) in his 1. 31. battle of Marignan. Burke quotes from memory the famous de- P. 291, 1. 7. Origenist, &c. So Young, Satire vi: 'Dear Tillotson! be sure, the best of men! Nor thought be more than thought great Origen- Though once upon a time he misbehav'd, Poor Satan! doubtless he'll at length be saved.”’ P. 292, 1. 8. usurper, murderer, regicide. Claudius. See Hamlet, Act iii. sc. 3. 1. 29. massacre at Quiberon. The captured French emigrants, not being P. 293, 1. 12. Tædet harum, &c. Terence, Eun. ii. 3. 6. 1. 21. Muscadin. Perfumed with musk. 1. 29. Tetrarchs. Cp. p. 174, 1. 25. P. 294, 1. 30. pride, pomp, and circumstance.' Othello, Act iii. sc. 3. |