In Barbara W. Tuchman's book "A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century," she reflects on the potential of great figures who may have been overlooked due to their circumstances. The phrase suggests that just as there may have been talented writers like Milton hidden away in rural settings, there may also have been leaders or innovators like Washington who never had the chance to fulfill their potential because of the era they were born into.

This highlights the idea that history may not only celebrate the well-known figures but often overlooks those who could have made significant contributions had their conditions been different. Tuchman's work encourages readers to consider the countless individuals whose abilities were stifled by fate, thus inviting a wider contemplation of historical narratives.