Mario Pei & Spud

[Douglas G. Wilson]

>Alleged 1949 quote (in Chapter 4):
>
>"The potato, for its part, was in disrepute some centuries ago. Some
>Englishmen who did not fancy potatoes formed a Society for the Prevention of
>Unwholesome Diet. The initials of the main words in this title gave rise to
>spud."

The 1st ed., 1949, p. 214 (Pt. III, Ch. IV), has the passage as above,
except that there are quotation marks:

<<The potato, for its part, was in disrepute some centuries ago. Some
Englishmen who did not fancy potatoes formed a "Society for the Prevention
of Unwholesome Diet." The initials of the main words in this title gave
rise to "spud.">>

Looks to me like Pei got fooled, for a while.

-- Doug Wilson