It requires some talents to be a common mechanic; but to be a king requires only the animal figure of man--a sort of breathing automaton.
Thomas Paine: “It requires some talents to be a common mechanic; but to be a king requires only the animal figure of man--a sort of…”
Editor's note · Context
In "Rights of Man," Paine satirically contrasts the skills needed for a common trade with the lack of qualifications required for a hereditary monarch.
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