"Whenever our neighbour's house is on fire, it cannot be amiss for the engines to play a little on our own"

This quote by Edmund Burke is a metaphor for how we must know our own security and security when our neighbours are in threat. Burke is recommending that we must take proactive actions to safeguard ourselves when our neighbours remain in difficulty. He is suggesting that we should not wait until our own house is on fire prior to we do something about it. Instead, we should be prepared and take steps to protect ourselves even when our neighbours are in risk. This quote is a pointer that we must understand our own safety and security even when our neighbours remain in difficulty. It is a pointer that we need to not wait till it is too late to act.