Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.

George Washington (1732–1799) American military leader, Founding Father, US President (1789–1797)

(Attributed)

Unsourced. First attributed to "The First President of the United States" in "Liberty and Government" by W. M., in The Christian Science Journal (Nov 1902) [ed. Mary Baker Eddy].

Variant: "Government is not reason, it is not eloquence — it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action."

More information on this quotation's origins and inspiration: Quote Origin: Government Is Like Fire, a Dangerous Servant and a Fearful Master – Quote Investigator®.