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John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.

Page 410

 
 
Edmund Burke. (1729–1797) (continued)
 
their scabbards to avenge even a look that threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded.
          Reflections on the Revolution in France. Vol. iii. p. 331.
4418
    The unbought grace of life, the cheap defence of nations, the nurse of manly sentiment and heroic enterprise is gone.
          Reflections on the Revolution in France. Vol. iii. p. 331.
4419
    That chastity of honour which felt a stain like a wound.
          Reflections on the Revolution in France. Vol. iii. p. 332.
4420
    Vice itself lost half its evil by losing all its grossness.
          Reflections on the Revolution in France. Vol. iii. p. 332.
4421
    Kings will be tyrants from policy, when subjects are rebels from principle.
          Reflections on the Revolution in France. Vol. iii. p. 334.
4422
    Learning will be cast into the mire and trodden down under the hoofs of a swinish multitude. 1
          Reflections on the Revolution in France. Vol. iii. p. 335.
4423
    Because half-a-dozen grasshoppers under a fern make the field ring with their importunate chink, whilst thousands of great cattle, reposed beneath the shadow of the British oak, chew the cud and are silent, pray do not imagine that those who make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field; that of course they are many in number; or that, after all, they are other than the little shrivelled, meagre, hopping, though loud and troublesome insects of the hour.
          Reflections on the Revolution in France. Vol. iii. p. 344.
4424
    In their nomination to office they will not appoint to the exercise of authority as to a pitiful job, but as to a holy function.
          Reflections on the Revolution in France. Vol. iii. p. 356.
4425
    The men of England,—the men, I mean, of light and leading in England.
          Reflections on the Revolution in France. Vol. iii. p. 365.
 
Note 1.
This expression was tortured to mean that he actually thought the people no better than swine; and the phrase “the swinish multitude” was bruited about in every form of speech and writing, in order to excite popular indignation. [back]