by Robert SpeaightRussell Kirk shows that the United States was a new thing built upon a number of very old things, and these are the roots which give it life today: the English common law, the English language, the English Reformation, the English Parliament; the Roman order and the Greek intellect, Montesquieu’s “depositary” of justice secured by the Supreme Court, and Edmund Burke’s gospel of continuity... [MORE]
by Stephen KlugewiczWestern Civilization is undeniably in decline and indeed its very existence is in doubt. Yet these thoughts ought not to drag conservatives down into a morass of defeatism. Though the hour is late, a remnant must run to the barricades and shield itself and whatever is left of Western Civilization from the barbarians at the gates. I call on conservatives to refuse to cede the current hour to darkness... [MORE]
By Stringfellow Barr on Jun 11, 2020 12:30 pm
Pericles was proud of Athenian freedom and insisted it was worth dying for. Our ancestors shared that pride and that insistence. But they and he were proud, not of the absence of discipline or authority, but of the fact that in a society of free citizens discipline and authority are self-imposed. The other day ...
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by Bradley J. BirzerGiven how vital a role history placed in the English-speaking world of the 18th century, Thomas Jefferson’s own love of history should not be too shocking. Further, it should not be surprising that Jefferson embraced a rather Whiggish view of history, one that pervaded much of American political, social, cultural, and religious thought. Thus, when Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he was not merely writing yet another legal document... [MORE]
by David Lawrence LevineIt is the task of the wise ruler to seek to transform the city based on force into one based on speech (if only on myths and noble lies). This is no different for a founder of a community of discourse than for a founder of cities. The primary task of The Republic, then, is the foundation of a human mutuality based on an openness to speeches. Socrates’ efforts toward this end, however, are complex and, on the surface, quite puzzling... [MORE]
The Swan Song of Roger Scruton: Wagner’s Parsifal: The Music of Redemption
by George H. Nash
Using the chapters in this new book as lamps and signposts, Bailyn has created an elegant roadmap of his intellectual journey. Read More »