8/6/2019 Edmund Burke Speech
1/4
The French Revolution was inspired by Enlightenment beliefs,
which called for increased rights for the common people.
Originally, Edmund Burke, who was amember of the House of Commons
of Great Britain did not oppose therevolution. But as the
revolution progressed, it became increasingly radical andviolent.
In October 1793, Marie Antoinette, the downfallen Queen of
France,was beheaded amid the violent aftermath of the French
Revolution. By thattime, the Irish statesman and orator had become
an outspoken critic of theRevolutionaries' ongoing reign of terror.
Persons of Royal ancestry in Francewere subject to arbitrary
imprisonment and execution, along with anyoneaccused of aiding or
sympathizing with them. In this speech, Burke laments thedeath of
the Queen and the passing of an era.
8/6/2019 Edmund Burke Speech
2/4
It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the Queen of
France, thenthe Dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely never lighted
on this orb, whichshe hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful
vision. I saw her just abovethe horizon, decorating and cheering
the elevated sphere she had justbegun to move in, glittering like
the morning star full of life and splendorand joy.
Oh, what a revolution! and what a heart must I have, to
contemplatewithout emotion that elevation and that fall! Little did
I dream, when sheadded titles of veneration to those of
enthusiastic, distant, respectful love,that she should ever be
obliged to carry the sharp antidote against disgraceconcealed in
that bosom; little did I dream that I should have lived to seesuch
disasters fallen upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation
of men of honor, and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords
must haveleaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look that
threatened herwith insult.
But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists,
andcalculators has succeeded, and the glory of Europe is
extinguished forever.Never, never more, shall we behold that
generous loyalty to rank and sex,that proud submission, that
dignified obedience, that subordination of theheart, which kept
alive, even in servitude itself, the spirit of an exaltedfreedom!
The unbought grace of life, the cheap defense of nations, thenurse
of manly sentiment and heroic enterprise is gone. It is gone,
thatsensibility of principle, that chastity of honor, which felt a
stain like awound, which inspired courage whilst it mitigated
ferocity, whichennobled whatever it touched, and under which vice
itself lost half its evil,by losing all its grossness.
Edmund Burke - 1793
8/6/2019 Edmund Burke Speech
3/4
Name:______________________________ Famous Speech Rubric Please
this rubric and a hard copy of yourspeech on the day you are to
present.You will receive credit based upon the following
criteria:
___1. Accuracy (20) The ability to deliver the speech without
prompts.You will lose points for each time you need a prompt! Short
speeches (1point per prompt). Speeches with * will be forgiven
(penalty-free) 5prompts and then lose 1 point per prompt after the
free five. Speeches with** will be forgiven (Penalty-free) 7
prompts and lose 1 point per promptafter the free seven. If you
choose a different speech than the ones I gave
you to select from, I will evaluate the prompt allowance. ___2.
Enthusiasm (10) Good voice inflection and animated body language.
___3. Creativity (10) Use of Costumes and/or accents!
![Burke, Select Works of Edmund Burke, Vol. 1. Thoughts on the Present Discontents [1770]](https://img.pdfslide.us/doc/110x75/577d1e2a1a28ab4e1e8de396/burke-select-works-of-edmund-burke-vol-1-thoughts-on-the-present-discontents.jpg)
