Political Quotes

Edmund Burke: But the general spirit and tendency of his works is mischievous,--and the more mischievous for this mixture: for perfect…

On the record
But the general spirit and tendency of his works is mischievous,--and the more mischievous for this mixture: for perfect depravity of sentiment is not reconcilable with eloquence; and the mind (though corruptible, not complexionally vicious) would reject and throw off with disgust a lesson of pure and unmixed evil.
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Edmund Burke

Editor's note · Context

Burke warns about the dangers of eloquence that masks corrupt sentiments.

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