Ralph Waldo Emerson Quote

The word liberty in the mouth of Mr. Webster sounds like the word love in the mouth of a courtesan.

12 February 1851; compare the remark of John Wilkes about Samuel Johnson, "Liberty is as ridiculous in his mouth as Religion in mine" (20 March 1778), quoted in The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791) by James Boswell. - Journals (1822–1863)