Speak (the) truth to power (quasi-precursors)

[Joel S. Berson]

At 7/5/2012 08:46 AM, Stephen Goranson wrote:
>Though the 1950s Friends were unlikely to have read these texts:

My guess would be that the 1750s Quakers might have been likely to
read the first ("Free Briton's Advice", 1748) since by its title it
would be stating an opposition to exercise of arbitrary power by the
British government of the time, something colonials of the same
period would be very interested in.  Perhaps the 1950s Quakers
"coining" the expression consulted their archives?

I note that
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_origin_of_the_expression_speak_truth_unto_power
says: "The phrase "to speak truth unto power" has long been
associated with the British Civil Service."  I can imagine it arising
around the late 1740s, during or just after the administration of
Robert Walpole, notorious for appointing yes-men, for rewarding
supporters with government positions.

Joel

>[EECO] TITLE:
>A free Briton's advice to the free citizens of Dublin. Numb. II.
>AUTHOR:
>Priscus, Helvidius.
>DETAILS:
>Dublin, [1748]. 15 pp. page 13
>
>  Strange it is that Men should be found abject enough to tremble at
> the very Thought
>of speaking Truth to Power!
>
>And this (unconfirmed) snippet [British Newspaper Archive]:
>
>Exeter and Plymouth Gazette
>Tue 25 Nov 1924 p. 2 article
>Devon, England
>Correspondence. We do not necessarily endorse the opinions of our
>correspondents. We cannot enter into any discussion concerning
>rejected communications
>1921 Words [presumably read: prophet]
>
>     " ophet speaking truth to power over selfishness and sloth,
> When silence falls such a voice, there ... ?
>
>Stephen Goranson
>www.duke.edu/~goranson
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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