"Madam, I have come from a country where people are hanged if they talk"

In this quote, Leonhard Euler is expressing the severe reality of living in a country where flexibility of speech is not valued. He is dealing with a lady, possibly from a more liberal country, and describing that in his home nation, people are punished badly for merely speaking their minds. This declaration highlights the oppressive nature of the government in Euler's nation and the lack of fundamental human rights. It also serves as a reminder of the privilege of living in a society where one can easily reveal their ideas without worry of persecution. Euler's words function as a powerful commentary on the significance of liberty of speech and the effects of residing in a society where it is suppressed.