When in 1765 at the age of 36, he began his long career as a member of the British Parliament, Edmund Burke was already widely known for his intellectual ability as editor of the highly acclaimed journal the Annual Register and as the author of A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful. An eloquent and thoughtful orator, his speeches soon earned him a place of prominence within Parliament and as the leading figure of the Rockingham Whigs. He undertook many controversial issues during his political career and in his writings, including state policies regarding the American colonies, Ireland, India, and the French Revolution. Honored by modern conservatives for his commitment to tradition, morality, and orderly society, Burke was also heralded by liberals for his dedication to tolerance, liberty, and reform.

Burke was born in Dublin, Ireland, on January 12, 1729, to Richard Burke, attorney of...