Arthur James Balfour – Quote Investigator®

Quote Origin: There Are Three Kinds of Lies: Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics

Mark Twain? Benjamin Disraeli? St. Swithin? Eliza Gutch? Charles Dilke? Charles Stewart Parnell? Robert Giffen? Arthur James Balfour? Francis Bacon? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Statistical analysis can provide deep insights into an issue. Yet, carelessness or duplicity can generate misleading results. A popular cynical adage communicates this mistrust: There are three kinds of lies: …

Continue reading “Quote Origin: There Are Three Kinds of Lies: Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics”

Quote Origin: A Person’s Biography Should Be Written by an Acute Enemy

Arthur James Balfour? Batman? Oscar Wilde? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Apparently, the crime-fighting superhero Batman is a quotation expert. I recall watching a rerun episode of the 1960s television series during which Batman was asked to identify the creator of an obscure quotation about biography, and he immediately answered correctly with the name Arthur …

Continue reading “Quote Origin: A Person’s Biography Should Be Written by an Acute Enemy”

Quote Origin: Every Great Man Nowadays Has His Disciples, and It Is Always Judas Who Writes the Biography

Oscar Wilde? Arthur Pendenys? Arthur James Balfour? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: An ill-intentioned biography is indistinguishable from a character assassination. The famous wit Oscar Wilde crafted a pertinent line on this topic. Here are three versions: Every great man nowadays has his disciples, and …it is usually Judas who writes the biography. …it is …

Continue reading “Quote Origin: Every Great Man Nowadays Has His Disciples, and It Is Always Judas Who Writes the Biography”