Quote: I know only two tunes; one is Yankee Doodle, and the other isn't. (U. S. Grant variant Lincoln)

[Joel S. Berson]

Did these speakers -- U.S. Grant, Abe Lincoln, Peter Wimsey -- really
say "isn't"?  I can definitely hear at least Wimsey saying "ain't" --
it was I think common in his speech.  And Grant?

Joel

At 5/16/2012 01:47 PM, Garson O'Toole wrote:
>Ulysses S. Grant died in 1885 so this attribution in 1888 is somewhat late.
>
>Cite: 1888, Educational Topics of the Day: Chips from a Teacher's
>Workshop by L. R. Klemm, Chapter III: Fundamental Errors in Teaching,
>Page 127, Lee and Shepard Publishers, Boston. (Google Books full view)
>
>[Begin excerpt]
>Thirty years ago this country was songless. Gen. Grant used to say: "I
>know only two tunes; one is Yankee Doodle, and the other isn't."
>[End excerpt]
>
>Researcher Paul F Boller has a version of the story in his book of
>Presidential anecdotes. There is a footnote, but I cannot read it in
>Google Books because the relevant footnote page is apparently blocked.
>
>Presidential anecdotes
>Author: Paul F Boller
>Publisher: New York : Oxford University Press, 1996.
>
>http://books.google.com/books?id=N0JRvfAIUFwC&q=%22two+tunes%22#v=snippet&
>
>There is a variant anecdote featuring Lincoln instead of Grant. The
>following pamphlet was published in 1914, but the incident apparently
>was reported to have occurred in 1860.
>
>Cite: 1914,  Abraham Lincoln's Visit to Evanston in 1860 by J. Seymour
>Currey, Page 14, City National Bank, Evanston. (Google Books full
>view)
>
>http://books.google.com/books?id=1rXfAAAAMAAJ&q=%22two+tunes%22#v=snippet&
>
>[Begin excerpt]
>A really good quartet, led by our long-time friend and fellow citizen,
>Charles G. Ayars, called for Lincoln's special commendation; and I
>recall how he put his arms around Ayars' shoulders, and said: 'Young
>man, I wish I could sing as well as you. Unfortunately I know only two
>tunes, one is "Old Hundred." and the other isn't.'
>[End excerpt]
>
>http://books.google.com/books?id=1rXfAAAAMAAJ&q=%22two+tunes%22#v=snippet&
>
>Searches for this post were performed only in GB.

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