Tracing Quotations
Anatole France? François Rabelais? Michel de Montaigne? Lewis Piaget Shanks? Will Durant? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: The French Nobel laureate Anatole France was skeptical of martyrdom. Here are three versions of a statement attributed to him: To die for an idea is to set a pretty high value on conjectures. To die for an idea …
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Critic: Gioachino Rossini? Mr. Archer? Charles Gounod? Apocryphal? Criticized: Richard Wagner? Signor Tamberlik? François Rabelais? M. Chelles? Dear Quote Investigator: The prominent Italian composer Gioachino Rossini reportedly delivered an amusingly harsh assessment of the famous German composer Richard Wagner. Here are three versions: 1) Wagner’s operas contain wonderful moments but terrible half hours. 2) Wagner …
Continue reading “Wagner Has Some Beautiful Moments But Terrible Quarter-Hours”