Love, Anger, Sorrow, and a Cough Cannot Be Hid

Dorothy L. Sayers? George Eliot? Thomas Fuller? George Herbert? George Latimer Apperson? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: The ongoing pandemic reminded me of an eccentric proverb I once heard: Love and a cough cannot be hidden. The prominent mystery wrote Dorothy L. Sayers once referred to a statement like this. Would you please explore the history …

Quote Origin: Living Well Is the Best Revenge

George Herbert? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Many have suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. The following adage suggests that one should persevere to achieve success and enjoyment: Living well is the best revenge. Would you please explore the provence of this remark? Reply from Quote Investigator: In 1640 George Herbert’s compilation of …

If I Shoot at the Sun, I May Hit a Star

P. T. Barnum? Britney Spears? George Herbert? Jane Russell? W. Clement Stone? Ralph Waldo Emerson? Norman Vincent Peale? Les Brown? John McEnroe? Dear Quote Investigator: There exists a collection of sayings that uses celestial bodies to illustrate advice about setting goals. Here are three examples: If I shoot at the sun, I may hit a …