He likens the revered editor to the character Prince Myshkin in The Idiot : innocent and vulnerable, someone who must be protected.
The editor is exactly like Prince Myshkin in The Idiot. 
mnli hypothesis: The editor is exactly like Prince Myshkin in The Idiot.  premise: He likens the revered editor to the character Prince Myshkin in The Idiot : innocent and vulnerable, someone who must be protected.