Viral Quotes: Remark about a funeral: I approve of it (attrib Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar 1887; attrib Mark Twain 1938)

[victor steinbok]

I approve of it.

VS-)

On Mon, May 9, 2011 at 11:48 AM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>wrote:

>
> I like it!
>
> JL
>
> On Mon, May 9, 2011 at 11:47 AM, Garson O'Toole
> <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com>wrote:
>
> >
> > Thanks for responding with valuable material from your searches Victor.
> >
> > Wendell Phillips died on Feb. 7, 1884 according to Britannica. Here is
> > a cite with a version of the joke on February 29th. So the quip was in
> > circulation within weeks of the death of Phillips.
> >
> > Cite: 1884 February 29, Cincinnati Commercial Gazette (Cincinnati
> > Commercial Tribune), Approving of the Funeral, Page 2, Column 5,
> > Cincinnati, Ohio. (GenealogyBank)
> >
> > Approving of the Funeral.
> >
> > Boston Post.-The Hon. E. R. Hoar did not love Phillips over much in
> > his later years. It is now reported of him that while the remains of
> > the great agitator were awaiting the final ceremonies a distinguished
> > Cambridge gentleman asked him if he was going to attend Wendell
> > Phillips's funeral. "No," was the reply, "but I approve it!"
> >
> > Garson
>

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