On the record
Even if he could have counted on a Frederick or a Napoleon, the instrument would hardly have served his purposes; as things were, it was a broken reed, not a fine sword, that he had to his hand.
Said by
John Morley
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gutenberg.orgJohn Morley: “Even if he could have counted on a Frederick or a Napoleon, the instrument would hardly have served his purposes; as…”
Editor's note · Context
Morley uses this metaphor to illustrate Turgot's ineffective political tools compared to historical figures like Frederick or Napoleon.
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