The Concessions of the Weak are the Concessions of Fear
(Edmund Burke, Parliament member, colonial sympathizer, 1775 )
Said by Edmund Burke, statesman, orator, all-around good egg.
Now, would you believe that I said this at the top of my voice only last week without a syllable altered in a trolley bus.
The reason WHY came into my mind because I'd just come from a meeting with a man who'd summoned me to him. And he said, "I've heard you on this program on the wireless where it said that you are a member of the society of the RSVP, which is the Royal Society for the Verification of Proverbs.
Which is a thing I HAVE spoken about at great length from this program. It's the sort of Society where I do things like taking a bull INTO a china shop and seeing actually what happens.
And he said, "We have got out. We specialize in educational toys. We have got out this do-it-yourself proverb-verifying children's kit. I'll show you one. What's more I would like you to be the very first customer of it since it's a mere thirty bob. And I'm sure you'd like to own one."
And he brought out this small cardboard box and gave it to me. And I opened it. And there were two pebbles inside. That's all.
So I said, "You said this was educational toy."
He said, "Hours of fun and pleasure. And learning all the while."
I said, "What do you do?"
He said, "Well take one stone. Take one of these pebbles."
I took one.
He said, "Press it. Press it."
I pressed it
He said, "Stamp on it."
I stamped on it.
He said, "Put your full weight on it."
I did.
He said, "Well. Can you imagine a child doing that?"
I said, "Teach him what?"
"No blood is there?"
So, I said, "No. That would hardly occupy a healthy child for any length of time."
He said, "Of course not. The child has to have exercise. Exercise out in the open air. Take this pebble up to the top of one of your hills. A high spot. Put it at the top. Let it roll. Follow it down. The little legs, the little muscles tightening. Get to the bottom. No moss. Child finds out for HIMSELF this way, you see."
I said, "I think you're ON to something here. Just tell me. You have TWO pebbles in this."
He said, "Yes. The other one serves not only as a spare or a replacement because children do lose things. Also in itself, just by being there it teaches the child the verification of anoher proverb. There is more than one pebble on the beach."
I said, "I'll take it."
I paid over the thirty bob. And I was RUSHING it over to Frank Muir's to show him this bargain.
I was sitting in that trolley bus. And I was looking at it. And it suddenly occurred to me. I'd paid thirty bob for a small cardboard box with two pebbles inside.
And it was at this MOMENT of realization that I suddenly proclaimed, "The Concessions of the Weak are the Concessions of Fear."
And when the arresting officer asked me why I had chosen this particular statement of this particular eminent eighteenth century politician.
Because it was at this point that I realized that I too had been a bit of a Burke.
Denis Norden
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