The Spirit of Despotism: Dedicated to Lord Castlereagh

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W. Hone, 1821 - Despotism - 94 pages
Hone's reissue of a work that favored governmental reform. Hone's criticism of government in 1821 was expressed through his dedication of the work to Lord Castlereagh and through Cruikshank's t.p. vignette of a spaniel licking the scourge. Cf. A. Bowden, William Hone's political journalism, 1815-1821, pp. 366-368.

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Page 86 - He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor ; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Page 7 - That the influence of the Crown has increased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished"?
Page 86 - The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Page 86 - And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
Page 87 - For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty...
Page 58 - ... rich traders, who from their success are presumed to have sharp and vigorous understandings, and to possess the virtues of diligence, order, constancy, and regularity, and to have cultivated an habitual regard to commutative justice : these are the circumstances of men that form what I should call a natural aristocracy, without which there is no nation.
Page 67 - Britain, to concern himself in the election of members to serve for the commons in Parliament...
Page 62 - In all things the voice of this grand chorus of national harmony ought to have a mighty and decisive influence. But when you disturb this harmony ; when you break up this beautiful order, this array of truth and nature, as well as of habit and prejudice ; when you separate the common sort of men from their proper chieftains so as to form them into an adverse army, I no longer know that venerable object called the people in such a disbanded race of deserters and vagabonds.
Page 87 - And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord , And the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
Page 62 - They are masters of the commonwealth ; because in substance they are themselves the commonwealth. The French Revolution, say they, was the act of the majority of the people; and if the majority of any other people, the people of England, for instance, wish to make the same change, they have the same right. Just the same undoubtedly. That is, none at all.

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