Tracing Quotations
Creator: “Punch”, London humor magazine Context: On July 14, 1855 “Punch” published the following brief item containing the quotation: A SHORT CUT TO METAPHYSICS. What is Matter?—Never mind. What is Mind?—No matter. Related Article: Those Who Mind Don’t Matter, and Those Who Matter Don’t Mind Update History: On April 9, 2025 the format of the …
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A. A. Milne? Satchel Paige? William Gunning King? Lucy Maud Montgomery? Alice G. Young? Woodrow Wilson? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: I enjoy relaxing and daydreaming, so I’ve always been attracted to the following saying: Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits. These words have been credited to the creator of Winnie …
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Creator: Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), famous humorist Context: Understanding the humor in the following passage requires familiarity with the cherry tree legend. A young Washington received a hatchet as a gift and impetuously chopped down a cherry tree owned by his father. When the future president was confronted he said “I cannot tell a lie. …
Francis Bacon? Theophilus Gale? David Hume? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The famous English philosopher and scientist Francis Bacon made an intriguing assertion about atheism. Here are three versions: (1) A little philosophy makes men atheists, though a great deal would cure them of Atheism. (2) A little knowledge drives man away from God, but …
Creator: Madonna Louise Ciccone, American singer, songwriter, and artistic entrepreneur Context: In 1991 “Vanity Fair” published a profile of Madonna within which she discussed her “iron will” and her trepidation. Emphasis added to this excerpt by QI: “And all of my will has always been to conquer some horrible feeling of inadequacy. I’m always struggling …
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Théophile Gautier? Molière? Alphonse Karr? Alexander Dumas père? A Mathematician? Prince Albert? Joseph Coyne? Honoré de Balzac?Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Operas and orchestra concerts are quite expensive productions. A deprecatory wit once grumbled about the outlays. Here are three versions: This thought has been attributed to the prominent French playwright Molière, …
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Creator: Ralph Waldo Emerson, prominent American essayist and transcendentalist philosopher Context: In 1836 when Emerson was 33 years old he wrote in his journal about bloody events in Spain and France. Emphasis added to excerpt: But in analysing history do not be too profound, for often the causes are quite superficial. In the present state …
Joseph Joubert? Matthew Arnold? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Imagination is crucial to cogitation, but it must be coupled with knowledge to achieve wholeness. Here are two versions of a germane adage: I was reminded of this saying while reading a QI analysis of a tangentially related quotation about roots and wings. Would you please …
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Hugh Walpole? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Radiant love displays “depth, beauty, and joy”, but achieving this extraordinary relationship is challenging. The bestselling English novelist Hugh Walpole apparently said: It is a sort of Divine accident. Would you please help me to find a citation? Reply from Quote Investigator: The book “What is Happiness?” consists …
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Creator: Josh Billings (pen name of Henry Wheeler Shaw), celebrated U.S. humorist Context: A collection of “Sayings of Josh Billings” appeared in “The Alleghanian” newspaper of Ebensburg, Pennsylvania in 1864. Billings employed phonetic spelling. Here were three of the sayings: I havn’t got as mutch muny az sum folks, but i hav got as much …