The Divine Comedy of Patriotism Author:Mortimer Thomson General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1900 Original Publisher: F.L. Roudebush Subjects: Patriotism History / General History / United States / General Political Science / General Political Science / Political Ideologies / Nationalism Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no... more » illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: Toothing ripens a cause like the blood of the man who has shed it. Ere the last drop be run the cause is already immortal. You sustain his cause by mere mention of name of the martyr, In a double sanctification the two thus uniting. "Think of this when about to murder another Lord Cavendish, And remember that murder is always murder, not politics, And that you were convicted of crime, not imprisoned for shouting. 16. We justify change to experiment with a principle, But your purposes should not be laid on political fun lines, Nor on euphemisms, nor with too much philanthropy mingled. Differentiate the love of man from political objects, Because, if devoted to both, one or other will trip you. If inclined to joke, respect these who can see no joke in it. Fun in foreign affairs is demoralizing and costly, And likely to lead to no fun in your treaty relations. Do not love your country so much : try to do something for it, Love is blind; you are not; use your eyes for the patria's errors. Preserve the distinction between a right and a privilege, Which seems much too apt to become confused in some newlands. Free and equals in rights should not be unequal in privilege. Be not fooled by substitution: if it be economic Keep the theme on that base and let it not drift into politics Unless you have ballots enough to compel its acceptance. Compel the politician to be an econo...« less