Algernon Sydney

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Algernon Sydney (or Sidney), (January 1623 – December 7, 1683), was an English politician and opponent of King Charles II of England.

A son of Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester, and the great-nephew of Sir Philip Sidney, he is thought to have been born at Penshurst Place in Kent. During the English Civil War, he joined the army of Parliament, but became critical of Oliver Cromwell's leadership. He was also for a time the lover of Lucy Walter, later the mistress of Charles, Prince of Wales.

While writing Court Maxims (1665-6) he was negotiating with the Dutch and French for support of a republican invasion of England. Following the Restoration of the Stuart monarchy, he went into exile, returning in 1677. In 1683, he was implicated in the Rye House Plot, was found guilty of treason, and was executed.

His writings were collected and published posthumously under various titles:

Discourses
Discourses on Government
Discourses Concerning Government (which is the origin of the phrase "God helps those who help themselves").
Discourses Concerning Civil Government

Algernon Sidney is one of the namesakes for Hampden-Sydney College. The College formerly used the original spelling of Sidney. He was chosen because of the roll his ideas played in molding the beliefs of the American Revolutionary thinkers.

[edit] External links

Discourses Concerning Government, by Algernon Sydney. Published 1698 [1]
[note: The Discourses are available in a relatively new, modern edition with Thomas G. West as editor (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, Inc., 1990)].