Henry James? Fred Rogers? Billy James? Leon Edel? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: The prominent American literary figure Henry James apparently crafted an expression with a three-fold repetition of the phrase “be kind”. The influential children’s television personality Fred Rogers has been credited with a similar statement. Would you please explore this topic? Quote Investigator: A …
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The Two Most Beautiful Words in the English Language Are “Check Enclosed”
Dorothy Parker? Douglass Malluch? Douglas Malloch? Henry James? Credit Man for a New York Hat House? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: During a recent discussion with friends we tried to construct a list of great jokes that will be obsolete within a few decades. Here is one that is credited to the famous wit Dorothy Parker …
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The Great Use of a Life Is to Spend It for Something That Outlasts It
William James? Ralph Barton Perry? Henry James? Anonymous? Dear Quote Investigator: I have been working to confirm the source and accuracy of a quotation that is attributed to the famous philosopher and educator William James. Here are three versions: The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it. The …
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