Quote by Henry David Thoreau
For eighteen hundred years, though perchance I have no right to say it, the New Testament has been written; yet where is the legislator who has wisdom and practical talent enough to avail himself of the light which it sheds on the science of legislation?
Summary
This quote questions the inability of legislators, over the course of almost two millennia, to effectively integrate the knowledge and wisdom found in the New Testament into the field of legislation. It implies that despite the existence of this ancient text, no legislator has emerged with the necessary intelligence and practical skills to harness the insights it provides and apply them to lawmaking. The quote suggests a contrast between the seemingly abundant knowledge contained in the New Testament and the lack of individuals capable of transposing that knowledge into effective legislation.