Mark Twain? Merle Johnson? Albert Bigelow Paine? Question for Quote Investigator: A famous humorist apparently said something like the following about taxation. Here are two versions: (1) “What is the difference between a taxidermist and a tax collector?” “The taxidermist takes only your skin.” (2) The difference between a tax collector and a taxidermist is …
Tag Archives: Merle Johnson
Quote Origin: It Is Better To Take What Does Not Belong To You Than To Let It Lie Around Neglected
Mark Twain? Merle Johnson? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Mark Twain has received credit for the following slyly comical remark justifying thievery: It is better to take what does not belong to you than to let it lie around neglected. I have not found this statement in any of the stories or essays authored by Twain. …
Quote Origin: The Trouble Ain’t That There Is Too Many Fools, But That the Lightning Ain’t Distributed Right
Mark Twain? Merle Johnson? Caroline Thomas Harnsberger? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: Mark Twain once spoke about the number of fools in the world. He did not believe that there were too many fools, but he did suggest that lightning strikes were not ideally distributed. Would you please help me to find a citation for …
It Is Wiser To Find Out Than To Suppose
Mark Twain? Merle Johnson? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: I would like to use the following adage during a presentation to a large group: It is wiser to find out than to suppose. I plan to credit Mark Twain, but I know that if I am wrong it will be very embarrassing because the entire point …
Quote Origin: Clothes Make the Man. Naked People Have Little or No Influence in Society
Mark Twain? Merle Johnson? Apocryphal? Dear Quote Investigator: Comments about stylish clothing always remind me of Mark Twain’s comment: Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in society. But I cannot seem to find any direct reference for this quote. The best citation I have seen was dated more than fifteen …