Quote: Supposed Lincoln quote traces to Alphonse Karr - help with French requested

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

A snapshot of what I have learned about this saying is now available
on the QI website:


We Can Complain Because Rose Bushes Have Thorns, or Rejoice Because
Thorn Bushes Have Roses
http://quoteinvestigator.com/2013/11/16/rose-thorn/

The acknowledgement includes the following:
[Begin excerpt]
Many thanks to W. Brewer and H. Wilson Gray for providing QI with
suggestions for the translation of the 1853 verse from French to
English. Any errors are QIs responsibility.
[End excerpt]


Feedback welcome on or off-list.

With appreciation,

Garson

On Sat, Nov 16, 2013 at 4:07 PM, W Brewer <brewerwa at gmail.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       W Brewer <brewerwa at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Quote: Supposed Lincoln quote traces to Alphonse Karr - help
>               with French requested
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> GO'T: <<Do you think that Karr was stating that the authorship of the verse was
> anonymous?>>
> WB:  Karr (?) was just pretending to want to protect the poet's anonymity?
> So that Karr actually wanted to out the poet? This is all so
> je-ne-sais-quoi.
>
> Let us say in passing since everything interests a great poet (?), that the
> favorite flower of Monsieur Victor Hugo is this delightful little white &
> rose bindweed/convolvolus of the hedge-rows which exudes a so delicious
> odor of bitter almond. Let us humbly & sneakily slip in here four lines
> about roses & their thorns; the author wants to appear to desire to protect
> the anonymous writer.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org