Attorney Quote by Thomas Erskine, 1st Baron Erskine
“The liberty of the press would be an empty sound, and no man would venture to write on any subject, however, pure his purpose, without an attorney at one elbow and a counsel at the other. From minds thus subdued by the fear of punishment, there could issue no works of genius to expand the empire of human reason.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Parliamentary debate, 1790s, United Kingdom
Press freedom is essential; without legal protection, writers self‑censor, stifling innovation and progress.
In simple terms: Without legal safety, writers stay silent.
Key Takeaway
Protect writers legally to foster genius.
Themes
freedom of speech
press freedom
innovation
human reason
law
Mood
concerned
serious
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- journalism
- academic publishing
- political commentary
- creative writing
Key Concepts
censorship
legal risk
intellectual development
Questions to Reflect On
- How does fear of legal repercussions affect your willingness to speak?
- What safeguards beyond law can protect free expression?
A Different Perspective
Legal protection alone cannot guarantee truthfulness or quality.
![“That this liberty [of the press] is often carried to excess; that it has sometimes degenerated into licentiousness, is seen and lamented, but the remedy has not yet been discovered. Perhaps it is an evil inseparable from the good with which it is allied; perhaps it is a shoot which cannot be…” quote by James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/52f/james-madison-373_america_that-this-liberty-of-the-press-is-often_908560.jpg)
![“[Michael] Felix and other immigration attorneys say it's possible [Melania] Trump was doing what a lot of models do - working illegally on a tourist visa.” quote by Hansi Lo Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bf7/hansi-lo-wang-78128_attorney_michael-felix-and-other-immigration-atto_64456.jpg)
