A Patriot, Sir!
Sir Robert Walpole wasn’t impressed with kind of politician who pursues his own ambitions in the name of serving the country.
1741
King George I 1714-1727 to King George II 1727-1760
Sir Robert Walpole wasn’t impressed with kind of politician who pursues his own ambitions in the name of serving the country.
1741
King George I 1714-1727 to King George II 1727-1760
From the moment Robert Walpole was appointed First Lord of the Treasury in 1722, he was accused of toadying to the narrow interests of the Court, and ignoring the broader interests of the Country at large. By February 1741 the clamour for his resignation was getting noisy, but Walpole reminded the Commons that those who talk about ‘the good of the country‘ aren’t always thinking about it.
GENTLEMEN have talked a great deal of patriotism. A venerable word, when duly practised.* But I am sorry to say that of late it has been so much hackneyed about that it is in danger of falling into disgrace. The very idea of true patriotism is lost, and the term has been prostituted to the very worst of purposes. A patriot, sir! Why, patriots spring up like mushrooms! I could raise fifty of them within the four-and-twenty hours. I have raised many of them in one night. It is but refusing to gratify an unreasonable or an insolent demand, and up starts a patriot. I have never been afraid of making patriots; but I disdain and despise all their efforts. This pretended virtue proceeds from personal malice and disappointed ambition. There is not a man among them whose particular aim I am not able to ascertain, and from what motive they have entered into the lists of opposition.*
* See posts tagged Patriotism.
* Walpole’s target here was the self-described Country Party, not a formal party beside the Tories and Whigs but an informal cross-bench alliance of MPs vigorously opposed to what they regarded as a Court Party of narrow and privileged interests; they considered themselves ‘patriots’ for caring more about the rural economy of Britain than for the glittering society of the City and George II’s court. Walpole was all scepticism, and thought they had wrapped themselves in a flag of convenience. Their leading spokesman was Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke, who had been gunning for Walpole for thirty years. On this occasion, the motion was defeated and Walpole survived, though he resigned early the following year.
* ‘Enter into the lists’ is a phrase drawn from jousting: ‘the lists’ referred to the palisades enclosing an area for a tournament (from Old English liste, a border). To enter the lists is to ride like a knight into a place of contest, especially as the gallant champion of another.
1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.