Quote#Freedom
There have been periods when our government continued free, with…
Quote byHenry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke · 1678–1751
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: On the Spirit of Patriotism (1736), p. 46.
English (original)
There have been periods when our government continued free, with strong appearances of becoming absolute. Let it be your glory, my Lord, and that of the new generation springing up with you, that this government do not become absolute at any future period, with the appearances of being free.
— Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke
More from Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke
We are born too late to see the beginning, and we die too soon to see the end of many things.
Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke
Nations, like men, have their infancy.
Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke
[I]t is a pretty shocking observation that the Queen is to be the guarantee for a loan of this extraordinary nature made by the Dutch, and especially at a time, when under pretence of disability they directly refuse to furnish their quotas …
Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke
Truth lies within a little and certain compass, but error is immense.
Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke
A peace must be had; and all mankind sees plainly now, in how vile a manner former opportunities were neglected of making a better than at this hour we have reason to expect.
Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke
They (Thucydides and Xenophon) maintained the dignity of history.
Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke