The Character of a Trimmer and Other Writings

by Halifax, George Savile, Marquis of; Clack, Brian R.; Gibson, William

• ISBN13: 9780198879527
• ISBN10: 0198879520
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2025-09-10
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

'To know when to let things alone is a high pitch of good sense.'

George Savile, Marquess of Halifax was among the greatest statesmen of late seventeenth-century England and was a central figure in the Glorious Revolution of 1688. His pursuit of moderation during a time of fierce political controversy earned him the nickname 'The Trimmer'. Halifax took this intended insult as a badge of honour, arguing that all good things trim between extremes and exist healthily between varieties of excess. His pamphlets, published anonymously during his lifetime, make the case for moderate and pragmatic action rooted in caution and compromise. They stand as an abiding critique of extremism and political tribalism. Halifax's works on the nature of politics rest upon a practical and extensive experience of government. His detached and often jaded view of life lends a markedly distinctive quality to his thoughts on government, political parties, morality, marriage, and the human condition in general.

This edition presents Halifax's published works, including his political testament The Character of a Trimmer, a remarkable sketch of the character of King Charles II, and various sets of 'Thoughts and Reflections'. An introductory essay sets Halifax's work within the context of his time and emphasizes the continuing relevance of his thought.

Author Biography

George Savile, Marquis of Halifax

Brian R. Clack is Professor of Philosophy at the University of San Diego. He is the author of two books on the philosophy of Wittgenstein — Wittgenstein, Frazer and Religion (1999) and An Introduction to Wittgenstein's Philosophy of Religion (1999) — and of Love, Drugs, Art, Religion: The Pains and Consolations of Existence (2014), and co-author of The Philosophy of Religion: A Critical Introduction (third edition, 2019). He has edited Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France for the Broadview Editions series (2022).

William Gibson is Professor Emeritus at Oxford Brookes University. He has written widely on religion and politics in the period 1660-1800, including James II and the Trial of the Seven Bishops (2009) and Samuel Wesley and the Crisis of Tory Piety, 1685-1720 (2021). He is editor of the Journal of Religious History, Literature and Culture and is a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

Table of Contents

IntroductionNote on the TextSelect BibliographyA Chronology of the Marquis of HalifaxThe Character of a TrimmerA Character of King Charles IIThe Lady's New Year's Gift: Or, Advice to a DaughterA Letter to a DissenterThe Anatomy of an EquivalentMaxims of the Great AlmansorA Rough Draft of a New Model at SeaSome Cautions OfferedThe Government of the WorldPolitical Thoughts and ReflectionsMoral Thoughts and ReflectionsMiscellaneous Thoughts and ReflectionsSelections from the Miscellanys and Miscellaneous MaximsAppendix: Notable Historical Judgments on HalifaxExplanatory Notes