BURKE, EDMUND

(1729-97), Brit. statesman, writer and orator; b. (probably) Dublin. From a school at Ballitore, Kildare, B. proceeded to Trinity Coll., Dublin (1743-48), where he devoted himself to extensive but desultory reading. He entered Middle Temple, London (1750), but soon abandoned law for literary work. In 1756 he wrote A Vindication of Natural Society, a satire upon Bolingbroke, and also a Philosophical Inquiry into the Origin of our Ideas on the Sublime and Beautiful. From 1759-88 he contributed largely to the Annual Register. B. was private sec. to Hamilton, sec. for Ireland (1761-63), and to the Marquis of Rocking ham (1765). Entering Parliament for Wend over, he soon became prominent as the great Whig defender. After the failure of the Rocking ham administration (1766), B. held no office till 1782, but his public activity never ceased. He drew up all the principal protests of his party between 1767 and 1782. In his Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Disc on ten is (1770) he attacked the ‘system of double government’ and defended party government against both George and Chas am. He was the greatest orator and thinker of the Whigs, and his speeches were not merely weapons for the moment, but permanent treasures of political wisdom. The acce ion of Charles James Fox, a brilliant seceder from North’s ministry, to Whig party, was largely due to B.’s teaching and influence. Under Fox and B. the ‘New Whigs’ became purged of the old party leaven. B. was chosen @ representative for Bristol (1774). During events which ended in emancipation of Amer. colonies, B. showed unrivalled knowledge and zeal on Amer. questions. His Speech on Conciliation i lappeared 1775. In the second Rocking ham ministry (1782) B. became master of the Forces, and was entrusted with the great plan of economical form. He had lost his Bristol seat as a result of his advocacy of Irish to similar indulgence as During rest of his parliamentary he sat for Malton, a pocket On Rocking ham’s death (July B. and Fox declined to serve Shelburne, and joined North in against him. The coalition forced king a government nominally headed Duke of Portland (1783). B. returned his office of paymaster. Rejection - India Bill resulted in dismi al of ters (Dec. 1783), and Pitt accepted premiership. B. was soon engaged famous impeachment of Warren whose trial began (Feb. 1788), but more famous for oratory than for results, and finally ended in acquittal (1795).