New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-04
THE AUTHORSHIP OF FAMOUS SAYINGS.


A writer in The London Spectator brings together
a number of famous sayings, but strangely
enough, in nearly every instance the ia
nous saying that Is reproduced Is put
into the wrong mouth. And, since it is a shame
that any man who has uttered famous saying
should be defrauded of his right to have his own
name 90 down tho corridors of tine attached to it,
fair play and humanity alike demand that this
writer should be corrected. Accordingly we proceed
to do 80 more In sorrow than in anger.
He ascribes to Mime do Pompadour the famous
saving "Apr9s nous lie dt1uge." But every school
boy in Cincinnati perfectly well aware that those
words originated with Murat Halstead and that the
French translation does but scanty justice to the
English original which runs, " The deluge is after
us.n The remark was first made, as this same
variety of schOol5oy also knows, at time when the
Ohio having left all the high-waer marks Of the
preceding ages far below reported as still rls-
ing" Nine. de PompadOur was an accomplished
lady and her name will be forever becOmingly assO
ciated with becoming style of dress. We feel
sure that she would have been the last person in
the world to claim a famous saying which 80
evidently belongs to another. Equally absurd is
The Spectators reference of the famous saying.
imagined it was difficult to de-" TO Louis XIV.
The intelligent student of contemporaneous politics
need not De reminded that this ante-nOrem state
United states. The XIYth Louis hal his faults, but
his sense of personal honor in the matter of famous
savinrs was too Ike n TO suffer him to appropriate
these touching last words OF political organization,
even though il had its birth under a governmental
,ystem with which he had no sympathy. And
where in the name of verified quotation does ne
Spectator get its authority for cTedlting Fold up
the map OF Europe" to William Pitt Our own
clear recollection Is that that impatient imperative
originated With Chauncey NJ. Depew, and was adj
dressed TO q persistent pedler who once
invaded his office. The pedler-such at
least is the popular unders andlng- began with the
formula that no was Offering for sale new and i'm
proved map of Europe from original surveys, aud
at prices that defed competition; but before
he could proceed further, Mr. Depew casually
reached for a bronze paper-weight and exclaimed In
tones that ad6itted of no opposition: Fold
ND the map OF Europe" OF course Mr..
Pitt may also have said something OF related
import since any man is liable TO have maps thrust
upon his attention. But until the fact that he
really did use these exact words Is established by
something more conclusive than hearsay evidence,
the famous saying must continue to claim Mr.
Depew as its proprietor. But the next mistake on
the fist is perhaps the most amazing of ALL Professor
Sumner of Yale College. will doubtless smile cruel.
derisve smile on learning that The Spectator actu
ally refers his famous saying. IL DO not know
how to draw up an indictment against whole peo-
pie" to Edmund Burke. The Professors abnormal
bashfuness may stand IN the way of bis advertising
the fact but we all know that lie was constrained
TO create this famous saying when he found that
the American people, in the exercise OF theirrampant
"puerty," had rejected the doctrine of tariff for
revenue only aid elected President whose feet
were firmly planted on protection plank. There is
/ hat I'm W
the times beng ignorant Of this fact. The Spectator
might with equal propriety attribute to Burke that
other of the Yale Professors famous sayings, Zone
with Sumner Is majority"
We have not the heart to press all the indict-
ments which be- predicated upon The Spectators
unfortunate article, and will content ourselves with
briefly noticing or two more. Lord Chesterfield
is made 10 saw There is q certain dignity 20 be
kept UP In pleasures we'll as i'll business" just
If scores of New Workers were not prepared to make
an affidavit that the late consumer of consecutive
quaIls-whose immortal name that
not born TO die escapes at
this writing-spoke those words before he
began upon his first bird. And may we not expect
to see David Davis rise to a question Of privilege
when bis attention Is drawn to the fact that his
famous saying "What shadows we are" is also ad-
ded to tho score OF Burkei II Is always an ungraci-
Gus task TO correct an esteemed contemporary. but
the mistakes we have pointed out are too
fragrant to pass unnoticed by any one who
has decent respect for the truth of history. Well
may able gentlemen who have taste for the utter
ance of famous sayings for the editication and en-
tertanment of mankind conclude to die and make
no sign If their choicest epigrams are to be ruth
lessy stolen from them. 1t goes without saying
that Tho Spectator will take carly opportunity
of Offering the most contrte apology that our Ian
guage admits of to those whom it has so grievously
wrOnged.