The Trouble About Fighting for Human Freedom Is That You Have To Spend Much of Your Life Defending Sons-of-Bitches

H.L. Mencken? Gerald W. Johnson? Apocryphal?

Question for Quote Investigator: Oppressive laws are sometimes promulgated to target unsavory individuals. The opposition to these laws requires defending these individuals. The famous Baltimore journalist and commentator H. L. Mencken apparently said something like the following:

The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one’s time defending scoundrels.

Did Mencken really say this? Would you please help me to find the correct phrasing together with a citation?

Reply from Quote Investigator: H. L. Mencken died in January 1956, and shortly afterward his colleague Gerald W. Johnson published an essay about his life in “The Saturday Review”. Both Mencken and Johnson worked at “The Baltimore Sun” and “The Evening Sun” newspapers of Maryland for many years. Johnson presented remarks he had heard directly from Mencken. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:[ref] 1956 February 11, The Saturday Review, Henry L. Mencken [1880-1956] by Gerald W. Johnson, Start Page 12, Quote Page 13, Column 2, Saturday Review Associates, New York. (Unz) [/ref]

“The trouble about fighting for human freedom,” he remarked once, “is that you have to spend much of your life defending sons-of-bitches; for oppressive laws are always aimed at them originally, and oppression must be stopped in the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.”

In this version of the quotation, the term “sons-of-bitches” occurred instead of “scoundrels”. The bowdlerized variant with “scoundrels” began circulating by 2003.

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Always Verify Your Quotations

Winston Churchill? Martin Routh? John Burgon? G. W. Peck? Earl of Rosebery? Anonymous?

Dear Quote Investigator: According to a legend of academia, a young student once asked an illustrious professor to impart his greatest piece of wisdom, and the sage replied with one of these statements:

(1) Always verify your quotations.
(2) Always check your references.
(3) Always verify references.
(4) Always check your citations.

Ironically, few people are heeding this advice; hence, the details of this tale are uncertain. Winston Churchill sometimes receives credit for telling this story although I think it was circulating before he was born. Would you please explore this topic?

Quote Investigator: Martin Routh was the President of Magdalen College, Oxford for more than six decades. He was a renowned classical scholar who died in 1854, and he has usually received credit for this saying.

The student who asked Routh for advice was John Burgon who later became a leader in the Anglican Church. Burgon presented a brief description of the interaction at the beginning of his 1871 book titled “The Last Twelve Verses of the Gospel According to S. Mark”. Boldface added to excepts by QI:[ref] 1871, The Last Twelve Verses of the Gospel According to S. Mark Vindicated Against Recent Critical Objectors and Established by John W. Burgon (Vicar of S. Mary-The-Virgin’s, Fellow of Oriel College, and Gresham Lecturer in Divinity, Quote appears on title page, James Parker and Company, Oxford, England. (Google Books Full View) link [/ref]

“‘Advice to you,’ sir, ‘in studying Divinity?’ Did you say that you ‘wished I would give you a few words of advice,’ sir? … Then let me recommend to you the practice of always verifying your references, sir!”
Conversation of the late President Routh

Burgon stated in a later book that the dialog occurred on November 29, 1847. Thus, the 1871 description above appeared more than two decades after the event occurred. This long delay reduced the reliability of the report.

QI has uncovered earlier published evidence of this family of sayings. The first instances referred to “quotations” instead of “references” or “citations”. Below is an overview with dates:

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To Get the Full Value of a Joy You Must Have Somebody To Divide It With

Mark Twain? Arthur T. Pierson? Apocryphal?

Dear Quote Investigator: To experience a joyful event completely one should share it with others. I think Mark Twain made a point similar to this in his collection of sayings called “Pudd’nhead Wilson’s New Calendar”. Would you please help me to find a citation?

Quote Investigator: In 1897 Mark Twain released a travel book titled “Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World”, and the 48th chapter presented the following epigraph. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:[ref] 1897, Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World by Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens), (Chapter 48 Epigraph), Quote Page 447, American Publishing Company, Hartford, Connecticut; Also Doubleday & McClure Company, New York. (Internet Archive) link [/ref]

Grief can take care of itself; but to get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with. —Pudd’nhead Wilson’s New Calendar.

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Each Time You Fail, Start All Over Again, and You Will Grow Stronger

Hellen Keller? Anne Sullivan? Apocryphal?

Dear Quote Investigator: There is an inspirational saying about beginning a task again even when you fail. Eventually, you will accomplish your purpose although it may not be exactly the purpose with which you began.

This notion has been attributed to Anne Sullivan who was the brilliant teacher of Helen Keller who overcame great adversities in her life. Would you please help me to find the correct phrasing together with a citation?

Quote Investigator: Anne Sullivan died in 1936. In 1955 Helen Keller wrote a book praising her instructor and companion titled “Teacher: Anne Sullivan Macy”. Keller credited Sullivan with offering the following motivational guidance. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:[ref] 1956 (1955 Copyright), Teacher: Anne Sullivan Macy: A Tribute by the Foster-child of Her Mind by Helen Keller, Chapter 12, Quote Page 156, Doubleday & Company, Garden City, New York. (Verified with scans) [/ref]

. . . “No matter what happens, keep on beginning and failing. Each time you fail, start all over again, and you will grow stronger until you find that you have accomplished a purpose—not the one you began with, perhaps, but one that you will be glad to remember.”

And who shall count the innumerable times that she tried, failed, and conquered?

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Nothing Succeeds Like Undress

Dorothy Parker? Oscar Wilde? Alexandre Dumas? Anonymous?

Dear Quote Investigator: While streaming an elaborately expensive television series I encountered a gratuitous scene with scanty clothing. I was reminded of this witticism: Nothing succeeds like undress.

This quip has been attributed to Dorothy Parker. Would you please explore the provenance of this remark?

Quote Investigator: The earliest close match located by QI appeared in January 1906 in a New Castle, Pennsylvania newspaper within a column featuring miscellaneous comical remarks. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:[ref] 1906 January 1, New Castle Herald, Scissorings, Quote Page 6, Column 5, New Castle, Pennsylvania. (Newspapers_com) [/ref]

Motto for Ladies at the Opera—Nothing succeeds like undress.—Town Topics.

Thus, the creator was anonymous. Dorothy Parker used this quip in 1918 after it was already in circulation. Here is an overview with dates of the pertinent family of sayings:

1827: Rien ne réussit comme un succès.(Jacques-François Ancelot)

1847 Nov: Nothing succeeds like success. (English translation of Alexandre Dumas)

1893: Nothing succeeds like excess. (Oscar Wilde)

1904 Mar: Nothing recedes like success. (Anonymous)

1904 Nov: Nothing recedes like ex-success. (Duncan M. Smith)

1906 Jan: Nothing succeeds like undress. (Anonymous)

1918 Apr: Nothing succeeds like undress. (Dorothy Parker)

A separate Quote Investigator article centered on the saying “Nothing succeeds like success” is available here.

Below are additional selected citations in chronological order.

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Nothing Succeeds Like Success

Alexandre Dumas? Ralph Waldo Emerson? William J. Snelling? Jacques-François Ancelot? Jules Janin? William Pulling? Alphonse de Lamartine? Anonymous?
Dear Quote Investigator: One success often leads to another success in a chain of achievement, opportunity, and good fortune. A popular adage expresses this idea:

Nothing succeeds like success.

This phrase has been attributed to several French writers including Alexandre Dumas who wrote “Le Comte de Monte-Cristo” (“The Count of Monte Cristo”). Would you please explore this topic?

Quote Investigator: This adage evolved over time, and the earliest instances located by QI occurred in French. The saying moved from French to English by 1847. QI believes that the origin of this saying is best described as anonymous. Here is an overview with dates:

1826: Rien ne réussit en France comme le succès. (Nothing succeeds in France like success.) Written by M.R.

1827: Rien ne réussit comme un succès. (Nothing succeeds like a success.) Written by Jacques-François Ancelot

1837: Rien ne réussit comme le succès. (Nothing succeeds like success.) Attributed to Jules Janin

1847: Nothing succeeds like success. Written by William J. Snelling who was translating a story by Alexandre Dumas into English

In 1826 “Le Mercure du dix-neuvième siècle” (“The Nineteenth Century Mercury”) published an article by a music critic who used the initials M.R. The critic employed a version of the saying while praising a piece of music. Passages in French in this article are followed by English translations. Boldface added to excepts by QI:[ref] 1826, Le Mercure du dix-neuvième siècle (The Nineteenth Century Mercury), Tome Quinzième (Fifteenth Volume), Théatres: Académie Royale De Musique by M.R., Start Page 69, Quote Page 73, Au Bureau Du Mercure, Paris. (Google Books Full View) link [/ref]

On a déjà dit que rien ne réussit en France comme le succès: vous allez voir réussir celui-ci.

It has already been said that nothing succeeds in France like success: you are going to see this one succeed.

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Othello: To My Mind, There Could Be No Greater Character To Play

Paul Robeson? William Shakespeare? Apocryphal?

Dear Quote Investigator: A prominent actor once discussed William Shakespeare’s tragic character Othello and said the following:

There could be no greater character to play.

This statement has been attributed to Paul Robeson. Would you please explore this topic.

Quote Investigator: Paul Robeson played the character Othello in London in 1930. He also performed the character on Broadway in 1943 and 1944. Othello became Robeson’s best-known role.

The American Archive of Public Broadcasting contains a video of the April 9, 1998 episode of “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer”. The episode included a segment from an interview with Paul Robeson conducted in 1959. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:[ref] Website: American Archive of Public Broadcasting, Date: April 9, 1998, Television Series: The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Quotation spoken at 44 minutes of 1 hour 1 minute, Producing Organization: NewsHour Productions, Washington, D.C. (Accessed via americanarchive.org on September 1, 2022) link [/ref]

PAUL ROBESON: Shakespeare posed this problem of a say black man in a white society in the role that he’s playing. And Shakespeare gave Othello such dignity—he came not from—as he said—not from hate but from honor, from a sense of his own human dignity. And to me, to my mind, there could be no greater character to play.

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Inspiration Is for Amateurs—The Rest of Us Just Show Up and Get To Work

Chuck Close? Stephen King? Philip Roth? Harvey Mackay? Mark Twain? Charles Schulz? Rosalyn Drexler? John Barkham? Nocona Burgess? Jill Elaine Hughes?

Dear Quote Investigator: An artist must wait patiently for inspiration to occur according to a romanticized depiction of creativity. Yet, a successful professional artist offered the following contrary viewpoint:

Inspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work.

This notion has been attributed to acclaimed photorealist painter Chuck Close, popular horror writer Stephen King, Noble Prize-winning author Philip Roth, motivational columnist Harvey Mackay, and others. Would you please explore this topic?

Quote Investigator: In April 2006 Chuck Close was interviewed by fellow artist Joe Fig. The interview appeared in the 2009 book “Inside the Painter’s Studio”. The text below consists of a question posed by Fig followed by a reply from Close. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:[ref] 2009, Inside the Painter’s Studio, Compiled by Joe Fig, Artist: Chuck Close, Date: April 25, 2006, Quote Page 42, Princeton Architectural Press, New York. (Verified with scans) [/ref]

Do you have a motto or creed that as an artist you live by?

Inspiration is for amateurs—the rest of us just show up and get to work. And the belief that things will grow out of the activity itself and that you will—through work—bump into other possibilities and kick open other doors that you would never have dreamt of if you were just sitting around looking for a great “art idea.”

Interestingly, a character in a novel by Philip Roth employed a version of this saying while crediting Chuck Close. Also, Stephen King used a version while crediting Roth. Thus, the confusion about attribution is understandable. Details are presented further below.

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Nothing Is Ever Really Lost To Us As Long As We Remember It

Lucy Maud Montgomery? Adelaide Anne Procter? Walt Whitman? Apocryphal?

Dear Quote Investigator: The popular Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery is best known for the children’s novel “Anne of Green Gables”. Apparently, she once made a powerful statement about transience, mortality, and memory:

Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.

Numerous webpages claim that this quotation appeared in Montgomery’s 1911 novel “The Story Girl”, but I have carefully searched that novel, and the quotation is absent. Would you please help to find a correct citation?

Quote Investigator: The quotation did not appear in “The Story Girl”; however, it did appear in the 1913 sequel by Lucy Maud Montgomery titled “The Golden Road”. Both works featured a character named Sara Stanley who was referred to as the Story Girl. The quotation was spoken by her father who was discussing Sara’s departed mother. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:[ref] 1913 Copyright, The Golden Road by L. M. Montgomery (Lucy Maud Montgomery), Chapter 27: The Old Order Changeth, Quote Page 320, The Page Company, Boston, Massachusetts. (Google Books Full View) link [/ref]

“She was as slim and lithe as a young, white-stemmed birch tree. How I loved her! How happy we were! But he who accepts human love must bind it to his soul with pain, and she is not lost to me. Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.”

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Imagination Is a Good Servant, But a Bad Master

Agatha Christie? Hercule Poirot? John Jortin? Maria Edgeworth? ‎Richard Lovell? Letitia Elizabeth Landon? Anonymous?

Dear Quote Investigator: Creativity and inventiveness are wonderful attributes, but an overly imaginative person is prone to self-deception. Here is a cogent adage:

Imagination is a good servant, but a bad master.

This saying as been attributed to the famous English mystery author Agatha Christie. Would you please explore this topic?

Quote Investigator: Agatha Christie published “The Mysterious Affair at Styles” in 1920. The main character, detective Hercule Poirot, used the expression while conversing with a friend who had made an incorrect deduction. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:[ref] 1920, The Mysterious Affair at Styles: A Detective Story by Agatha Christie, Chapter 5: “It Isn’t Strychnine, Is It?” Quote Page 116, John Lane, The Bodley Head, London. (Google Books Full View) link [/ref]

“I must confess that the conclusions I drew from those few scribbled words were quite erroneous.”

He smiled.

“You gave too much rein to your imagination. Imagination is a good servant, and a bad master. The simplest explanation is always the most likely.”

Interestingly, Agatha Christie did not craft this adage. It has been circulating for a few hundred years.

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