If a madman...

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If a madman...

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If a madman were to come into this room with a stick in his hand, no doubt we should pity the state of his mind; but our primary consideration would be to take care of ourselves. We should knock him down first, and pity him afterwards.

Source: Quoted in: James Boswell, Life of Samuel Johnson, 3 April 1776 (1791).
-- Samuel Johnson, (Sep 18 1709-1784), English lexicographer, critic; He was remembered for writing the first critique of Shakespeare, 1765 and Dictionary of the English Language, 1755.

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