politician (politishan)

and a. [Formerly also pol it it i an, polititien; The first polititiens , deuising all expedient meanes for th' establishment of Common wealth, to hold and containe the people in order and duety. Putten ham , Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 5. He is the greater and deeper politician that can make other men the instruments of his will and ends. Bacon , Advancement of Learning, ii. 169. 2. One who occupies himself with politics; one who devotes himself to public affairs or to the promotion of the interests of a political party; one who is practically interested in politics; in a bad sense, one who concerns himself with public affairs not from patriotism or public spirit, but for his own profit or that of his friends, or of a clique or party. This is the masterpiece of a modern politician , how to qualify and mould the sufferance and subjection of the people to the length of that foot that is to tread on their necks; how rapine may serve itself with the fair and honourable pretences of public good; how the puny law may be brought under the wardship and control of lust and will: in which attempt if they fall short, then must a su IMG:content-0566.png:[blocks in formation] A politician , where factions run high, is interested not for the whole people, but for his own section of it. Macaulay , Hallam's Const. Hist. A sincere Utilitarian, therefore, is likely to be an eager politician . H. Sidgwick, Methods of Ethics, p. 459. 3t. A politic or crafty person; a petty and generally an unscrupulous schemer; a trickster. The Diuell. was noted to be a greedie pursuer of newes, and so famous a politician in purchasing that Hel, which at the beginning was but an obscure village, is now become a huge citie, whervnto all countreys are tributarie. Nashe , Pierce Penile e, p. 9. The politician , whose very e ence lies in this, that he is a person ready to do any thing that he apprehends for his advantage, must first of all be sure to put himself into a state of liberty as free and large as his principles, and so to provide elbow-room enough for his conscience to lay about it, and have its free play in. South , Sermons (1737), I. 324. Pot-house politician, a politician of low aims and motives; a profe ional politician, ignorant, irresponsible, and often venal: so called from the favorite resorts of such men. Syn. 1 and 2. This word has degenerated so as generally to imply that the person busies himself with partizanship, low arts, and petty management, leaving the enlightened and high-minded service of the state to the statesman. A man, however, would not properly be called a statesman unle he were also of eminent ability in pub lic affairs. The Eastern politicians never do anything without the opinion of the astrologers on the fortunate moment. Statesmen of a more judicious prescience look for the fortunate moment too; but they seek it, not in the conjunc tions and oppositions of planets, but in the conjunctions and oppositions of men and things. Burke , To a Member of the Nat. A embly, 1791. II. a . 11. Politic; using artifice. Your ill-meaning politician lords. Milton , S. A., 1. 1195. 2. Of or pertaining to politicians or their methods. [Rare.] A turbulent, discoloured, and often unsavory sea of political or rather politician quasi-social life. Arch. Forbes , Souvenirs of some Continents, p. 155. politicise, v . i . See politicize . politic ist (po-lit'i-sist), n. [ politic + -ist.] A student or observer of politics; one who writes upon subjects relating to politics. [Rare.] politicize (po-lit ́i-sīz), v. i.; pret. and pp. ро liticized, ppr. politicizing. [ But while I am politicising , I forget to tell you half the purport of my letter. Walpole , To Mann (1758). ( Davies .) Politicizing sophists threaten to be a perfect curse to Contemporary Rev. , LII. 711. politicly (pol'i-tik-li), adv . In a politic manner; artfully; cunningly. India.