"hang together..." precursor? (1795)

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Here is an example of precursor wordplay in 1776, I think.

Cite: 1776 [MDCCLXXVI], Euphrosyne: or, Amusements on the Road of Life
[by Richard Graves], Quote Page 280, Printed for J. Dodsley, London.
(Google Books full view)

http://books.google.com/books?id=LTAhAAAAMAAJ&q=hang#v=snippet&

[Begin excerpt]
A Toast.

A. MAY the King and his People live together in concord,
And all rivals for places hang together in one cord:

B. With your toast I'll agree - so it be but a strong cord.
[End excerpt]

On Sat, Dec 8, 2012 at 10:20 AM, ADSGarson O'Toole
<adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       ADSGarson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: "hang together..." precursor? (1795)
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>  Stephen Goranson wrote:
>>
>> Perhaps a forerunner of "hang together or hang separately."
>>
>> New-York Magazine; Or, Literary Repository, vol. 6, May, 1795, p. 265, col.=
>>  1-2.
>>
>> ANECDOTE.
>> A SCOTCH Parson, in his prayer said, Laird bless the grand council the Parl=
>> iament, and grant they may hang together....in accord and concord. No matte=
>> r what cord, replied the other, so 'tis but a strong cord.
>>
>> http://books.google.com/books?id=3DJD8oAAAAYAAJ&pg=3DPA264&dq=3D%22hang+tog=
>> ether%22&hl=3Den&sa=3DX&ei=3D4EnDUNfSAYqY8gTGyoGACg&ved=3D0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=3Do=
>> nepage&q=3D%22hang%20together%22&f=3Dfalse
>
> Great find, Stephen! The joke relies on the same type of wordplay
> based on the phrase "hang together". Here is an instance a few years
> earlier in 1786.
>
> Cite: 1786 October 21, Massachusetts Centinel, Anecdote, [Freestanding
> short article], Quote Page 37, Column 2, Boston, Massachusetts.
> (GenealogyBank)
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> ANECDOTE
> A SCOTCH parson, in his babbling prayer, said Laird bless the grand
> council, the parliament, and grant they may hang together. A country
> fellow standing by, replied, Yes, yes, with all my heart, and the
> sooner the better; and I am sure it is the prayers of all good people.
> But, friends, said Sawney, I don't mean as the fellow means, but pray
> they may all hang together in accord and concord. No matter what cord,
> replied the other, so it is but a strong cord.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Below is a short link to the cite Stephen located. The link in his
> original post does not work for me because it has been split (in
> transit) and extraneous characters have been inserted.
>
> Cite: 1795 May, The New-York Magazine; Or Literary Repository,
> Anecdote, [Freestanding short article], Quote Page 264, Printed and
> fold by T. and J. Swords, New York. (Google Books full view)
>
> http://bit.ly/VU1Sa6
>
> Link to volume:
> http://books.google.com/books?id=JD8oAAAAYAAJ&
>
> Garson
>
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