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Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.
Washington, George
Source: Attributed to GEORGE WASHINGTON.Frank J. Wilstach, A Dictionary of Similes, 2d ed., p. 526 . This can be found with minor variations in wording and in punctuation, and with fearful for troublesome, in George Seldes, The Great Quotations, p. 727 . Unverified.In his most recent book of quotations, The Great Thoughts , Seldes says, p. 441, col. 2, footnote, this paragraph although credited to the Farewell [address] cannot be found in it. Lawson Hamblin, who owns a facsimile, and Horace Peck, Americas foremost authority on quotations, informed me this paragraph is apocryphal. · This quote is tagged Uncategorised · Search on Google Books to find all references and sources for this quotation.
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Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.