Written by the influential statesman Edmund Burke, this essay provides a critical analysis of the political climate in Great Britain in the late 18th century. Burke argues that the root cause of the country's problems lies in the erosion of traditional values and institutions and offers a passionate defense of the importance of preserving the existing social order. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.