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Borrow, George Henry, 1803-1881

"The Romany Rye"

This is one of
the pseudo-Radical calumniators of Lavengro and its author; and
this is one of the genus, who, after having railed against jobbery
for perhaps a quarter of a century, at present batten on large
official salaries which they do not earn. England is a great
country, and her interests require that she should have many a
well-paid official both at home and abroad; but will England long
continue a great country if the care of her interests, both at home
and abroad, is in many instances intrusted to beings like him
described above, whose only recommendation for an official
appointment was that he was deeply versed in the secrets of his
party and of the Whigs?
Before he concludes, the writer will take the liberty of saying of
Lavengro that it is a book written for the express purpose of
inculcating virtue, love of country, learning, manly pursuits, and
genuine religion, for example, that of the Church of England, and
for awakening a contempt for nonsense of every kind, and a hatred
for priestcraft, more especially that of Rome.
And in conclusion, with respect to many passages of his book in
which he has expressed himself in terms neither measured nor mealy,
he will beg leave to observe, in the words of a great poet, who
lived a profligate life, it is true, but who died a sincere
penitent--thanks, after God, to good Bishop Burnet -

"All this with indignation I have hurl'd
At the pretending part of this proud world,
Who, swollen with selfish vanity, devise
False freedoms, formal cheats, and holy lies,
Over their fellow fools to tyrannize.


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