Tracing Quotations
The Royal Toast Master? Supporters of U.S. President George Washington? William Makepeace Thackeray? Francis Bacon? Randall Munroe? An Anonymous Wit? Dear Quote investigator: A brilliant toast uses antimetabole and a pun. Here are two versions: Champagne to our real friends, and real pain to our sham friends. Pain to our sham friends, and Champagne to …
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George Washington? John Tillotson? Jonathan Swift? James Fenimore Cooper? Frederick Uttley Laycock? Robert Heinlein? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: A cautionary statement about statecraft has often been attributed to George Washington. Here are three versions: 1) Government is like fire, a dangerous servant and a fearful master. 2) Government, like fire, is a troublesome servant and …
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George Washington? C. S. Wheatley? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Are you familiar with the “liberty teeth” speech attributed to George Washington? Researchers have been unable to find evidence that Washington delivered this address, and some phrases are apparently anachronistic. Would you please explore its provenance? Quote Investigator: The earliest evidence located by QI was published …