Winston Churchill? Ronald Knox? Gerald K. Rudulph? C. H. McNider? Richard N. Elliott? Louis Sobol? Frances Langford? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: The famous statesman and orator Winston Churchill was asked about the length of an ideal address, and he supposedly said: A speech should be like a woman’s skirt: long enough to cover the …
Author Archives: quoteresearch
Quote Origin: Every Individual Is an Exception to the Rule
Carl Jung? James L. McAllister Jr.? Malcolm Gladwell? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The following postulate embodies a flexible outlook on life: There is an exception to every rule. The famous Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung promulgated an even stronger adage about people: Every individual is an exception to the rule. Would you please help me …
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Quote Origin: Taxation Is the Art of Plucking the Goose without Making It Squeal
Jean-Baptiste Colbert? Anne Robert Jacques Turgot? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Governments face resistance and resentment when they attempt to raise funds through taxation. Apparently, a French wit crafted the following vivid figurative expression. Here are two versions: Would you please explore the provenance of this saying? Reply from Quote Investigator: The earliest strong match …
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Quote Origin: In Theory There Is No Difference Between Theory and Practice, While In Practice There Is
Yogi Berra? Albert Einstein? Richard Feynman? Benjamin Brewster? Charles F. Kettering? Walter J. Savitch? Jan L. A. van de Snepscheut? Dave Jeske? Chuck Reid? Question for Quote Investigator: The following popular adage balances unsteadily between brilliance and absurdity: In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not. This notion has been …
Quote Origin: What Might Have Happened, If That Which Did Happen, Had Not Happened, I Cannot Undertake To Say
Lord Palmerston? George Ward Nichols? John Moncure? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Describing a counterfactual world typically requires a comically twisted statement: What would have happened if what did happen had not happened? These words have been attributed to British statesman Lord Palmerston, but I have been unable to find a citation. Would you please …
Quote Origin: Any Success in Life Is Made by Going into an Area with a Blind, Furious Optimism
Sylvester Stallone? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Dreamers with visions of riches and success were recently encouraged by advertisements to attend a “Wealth Expo” held in Toronto which covered the topics of real estate and bitcoin. I saw a sign with a motivational quotation attributed to the Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone who was one of …
Quote Origin: Ballot Box, Jury Box, Cartridge Box
Frederick Douglass? Stephen Decatur Miller? Woody Jenkins? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: A prominent public speaker once asserted that the preservation of liberty depended on three boxes: The ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box. This statement employed metonymy: the “ballot box” referred to input from the populace via the electoral process; the …
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Quote Origin: Like Blackbirds on a Telephone Line: As One Flies Away They All Fly Away, When One Comes Back, They All Come Back
Eugene J. McCarthy? Shana Alexander? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Leading journalists often display a surprising uniformity of judgement. An exasperated politician referred to reporters as birds who flocked together when deciding whether to alight on a telephone wire. Would you please explore this figurative expression? Reply from Quote Investigator: In February 1963 U.S. Senator …
Quote Origin: I Don’t Want To Elect Anyone Stupid Enough To Want the Job
Erma Bombeck? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The age of social media has exacerbated political antagonisms. A sardonic comedian once claimed that no person foolish enough to run for a high political office could be worthy of a vote. I hope high-quality candidates ignore this facetious viewpoint, but it is difficult to discount. Would you …
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Quote Origin: A Diplomat Is a Person Who Can Tell You To Go To Hell in Such a Tactful Way That You’ll Look Forward with Pleasure To Making the Trip
Winston Churchill? Caskie Stinnett? Gary Knafelc? Vince Lombardi? Viola Layne? Earl Wilson? Joe Williams? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Diplomacy is a difficult profession that rewards sensitivity and great verbal dexterity. The following witticism has been credited to travel writer and humorist Caskie Stinnett: A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go …