Political Quotes

Edmund Burke: This man would be ready to plunge the poniard in the heart of his pupil, or to whet the axe for his neck.

On the record
This man would be ready to plunge the poniard in the heart of his pupil, or to whet the axe for his neck.
Said by
Edmund Burke

Editor's note · Context

Burke warns of the dangers posed by a zealous atheist, emphasizing their potential for violence.

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