Johnson on the Declaration of Independence
"The Declaration is a powerful and wonderfully concise summary of the best Whig thought over several generations. Most of all, it has an electrifying beginning. It is hard to think of any way in which the first two paragraphs can be improved: the first, with its elegiac note of sadness at dissolving the union with Britain and its wish to show 'a decent respect to the opinions of mankind' by giving its reasons; the second, with its riveting first sentence, the kernel of the whole: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.' After that sentence, the reader, any reader - even George III - is compelled to read on. The Committee found i necessary to make few changes to Jefferson's draft. Franklin, the practical man, toned down Jefferson's grandiloquence - thus truths, from being 'sacred and undeniable' became 'self-evident.' a masterly improvement. But in general the four others were delighted with Jefferson's work, as well they might be."
Paul Johnson
A History of the American People
Maybe, something like this?
Paul Johnson
A History of the American People
Maybe, something like this?
Comments