Tracing Quotations
Samuel Foote? 4th Earl of Sandwich? James Quin? John Wilkes? William Gladstone? Benjamin Disraeli? Dear Quote Investigator: The sharpest and funniest retort I know of was said in response to a harsh insult: You, sir, will certainly either die upon the gallows or of a social disease. That depends, sir, upon whether I embrace your …
Continue reading “You Shall Either Die Upon the Gallows or of the Pox”
Walt Willis? Zorima? Raymond Duncan’s Wife? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The “appeal to nature” argument asserts that something which is natural is good, and something which is unnatural is bad. This style of reasoning has produced the following entertaining statements: (1) If God wanted us to wear clothes, we would have been born that …
G. K. Chesterton? Malcolm Muggeridge? Émile Cammaerts? Umberto Eco? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: An individual who becomes skeptical about traditional belief systems does not automatically embrace careful thought and rationality. Instead, the individual may embrace more eccentric belief systems and superstitions. Consider the following related remark: When people cease to believe in God, they …
Arthur Brisbane? Confucius? Kathleen Caffyn? Frederick R. Barnard? Robert Maguire? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: A famous adage highlights the value of illustrations and photographs. Here are four versions: (1) A picture is worth ten thousand words (2) A picture is worth a thousand words. (3) One picture is worth a ten thousand words. (4) One …
Marshall Field? Harry Gordon Selfridge? John Wanamaker? César Ritz? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: There is a famous customer service slogan that has been highlighted by several business people. Here are two versions: The customer is always right. The customer is never wrong. Do you know who created this motto? Quote Investigator: The earliest close match …
Mohandas Gandhi? L. L. Bean? Kenneth B. Elliott? Great Western Fuel Company? Ray Noyes? Paul T. Babson? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: There is a popular business motto that is used by corporate departments of Customer Relations and Human Resources: A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. …
Continue reading “The Customer is Not an Interruption in Our Work; He Is the Purpose of It”