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Janewantslearn Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Please help me understand this sentence

Hi, guys, could you help me understand this sentence?

"There is no barrier," Gladstone once said, "like the breast of free men", and any hostile force, no matter how powerful, would learn that quickly.

I think that means "there is no barrier, like the breast of free men", but the context means the region is very difficult to be conquered although there is no barrier.

I don't know where my understanding did wrong.

Thanks!
  

Top answer

janewantslearn I think that means "there is no barrier, like the breast of free men" Yes. Without the comma. There is no barrier [like / that is as effective as] the breast of free men.

— CalifJim

  • janewantslearn I think that means "there is no barrier, like the breast of free men" Yes.
  • Without the comma.
  • There is no barrier [like / that is as effective as] the breast of free men.
  • One possible interpretation: The only barrier needed is the barrier formed by free men who are willing to stand beside one another and face the enemy.
  • There may be a less literal interpretation as well.
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6 Answers
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janewantslearnI think that means "there is no barrier, like the breast of free men"
Yes. Without the comma.

There is no barrier [like / that is as effective as] the breast of free men.

One possible interpretation: The only barrier needed is the barrier formed by free men who are willing to stand beside one another and face the enemy.
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The original context is Gladstone's argument (1858) to support the creation of one nation, Romania, from the Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia. The Crimean war with Russia had just been concluded.

"Surely the best resistance to be offered to Russia,” he said, “is by the strength and freedom of those countries that will have to resist her. You want to place a living barrier between
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Hi CJ, Thank you for answering me so fast.
My understanding was completely wrong, I thought it means "There is no barrier just like there is no barrier in the breast of free men "
So the sentence means "there is no barrier but the breast of free men", am I right? Surely it makes more sense to the context now.
Thank you so much!
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janewantslearnthere is no barrier but the breast of free men
That's closer than your original thought, yes. Closer still: There is no barrier as good/effective as the breast of free men.

CJ
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Hi AlpheccaStars, Thank you for finding me the original context . From the original context, I can understand the meaning more accurately. My understanding was completely wrong, I thought it means "there is no barrier like there is no barrier in the breast of free men". Please don't laugh at me
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Hi CJ, I get it now. Thank you for confirming and correcting me. I should write more accurately.
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