
audiobook
by Edmund Burke
Volume four gathers a series of letters, pamphlets, and speeches penned by a prominent 18th‑century statesman as Europe reeled from the French Revolution. In these pages he answers a French assemblyman’s objections, urges Whigs to reconsider their principles, and defends Irish Catholics against oppressive penal laws. The writings also include thoughtful analyses of constitutional design, critiques of the nascent French Republic, and pointed remarks on the conduct of the allied powers. Throughout, his prose balances sharp wit with a measured appeal to reason and tradition.
Listeners will hear a mind wrestling with the turbulence of his age, championing property rights, civic virtue, and limited government while warning against radical excess. The documents reveal the author’s method of confronting abstract theory with practical experience, making the debates feel immediate and human. For anyone curious about the intellectual foundations of modern liberal thought, this collection offers a vivid snapshot of the arguments that shaped the late eighteenth‑century political landscape.
Language
en
Duration
~13 hours (759K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Paul Murray, Susan Skinner and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team from images generously made available by the Bibliotheque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr
Release date
2005-04-24
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1729–1797
Best known for powerful speeches and for Reflections on the Revolution in France, this Irish-born writer and British parliamentarian helped shape modern conservative thought while also arguing for conciliation with the American colonies. His work is still read for its blend of political passion, moral seriousness, and vivid prose.
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