Robert Burton on the Democratic Party

 

From the Anatomy of Melancholy, p 42:

 

'Tis an ordinary thing with us to account honest, devout, orthodox, divine, religious, plain-dealing men idiots, asses, that cannot or will not lie or dissemble, shift, flatter, accomodare se ad cum locum ubi nati sunt [adapt themselves to the station in which they were born], make good bargains, supplant, thrive, patronis inservire, solennes ascendendi modos apprehendere, leges, mores, consuetudines recte observare, candide laudare, fortiter defendere, sententias amplecti, dubitare de nullis, credere omnia, accipere omnia, nihil reprehendere, caeteraque quae promotionem ferunt et securitatem, quae sine ambage felicem reddunt hominem, et vere sapientem apud nos [fawn upon their patrons, learn the usual methods of getting on, be scrupulous in the observance of laws, manners, customs, praise in glowing terms, defend with vigour, adopt others' opinions, doubt nothing, believe everything, endure everything, resent nothing, and do all the other things which lead to promotion and safe position, which make a man fortunate beyond all question, and truly wise, according to our notions]; that cannot temporize as other men do, hand and take bribes, etc., but fear God, and make a conscience of their doings.

 

 

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