[Ads-l] Bogus Lincoln quote? (UNCLASSIFIED)

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Below are two citations in the 1870s that provide evidence that the
saying attributed to Lincoln evolved from the comical testimonial from
"O. Abe" constructed by Artemus Ward.

[ref] 1874 July 17, Cincinnati Daily Gazette, An Old Story Retold,
(Acknowledgement to Boston Correspondence in New York Tribune), Quote
Page 2, Column 5, Cincinnati, Ohio. (GenealogyBank)[/ref]

[Begin excerpt]
An Old Story Retold.
>From Boston Correspondence N. Y. Tribune.

I suppose everyone remembers Artermus Ward's story about reading one
of his lectures to President Lincoln, and asking the President's
opinion of it. According to the showman's version of the interview,
the Chief Magistrate answered, with grave deliberation: "For those
that like that kind of a lecture I suppose it is just the kind of
lecture that such people would like."
[End excerpt]

[ref] 1879 March 27, New York Tribune, (Untitled filler item), Quote
Page 2, Column 3, New York, New York. (GenealogyBank)[/ref]

[Begin excerpt]
President Lincoln once listened patiently while a friend read a long
manuscript to him, and then asked: "What do you think of it? How will
it take?" The President reflected a little while, and then answered:
"Well, for people who like that kind of thing, I think that is just
about the kind of thing they'd like."
[End excerpt]

Garson


On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 3:54 PM, 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: Bogus Lincoln quote? (UNCLASSIFIED)
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Here are some details for two citations. I had to retype the text, so
> errors may be present:
>
> [ref] 1863 October 23, Daily Eastern Argus, (Short untitled item),
> Quote Page 4, Column 1, Portland, Maine. (GenealogyBank)[/ref]
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> Artemas Ward among other puffs of his lectures has the following from
> "Old Abe:",
>
> Dear Sir--I have never heard any of your lectures, but from what I can
> learn I should say that for people who like the kind of lectures you
> deliver, they are just the kind of lectures such people like.
> Yours, respectably. O. Abe.
> [End excerpt]
>
>
> [ref] 1863 November 27, The Burlington Free Press (Burlington Weekly
> Free Press), Quote Page 2, Column 5, Burlington, Vermont.
> (Newspapers_com)[/ref]
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> Artemas Ward in his bill advertising his lecture on ghosts, appends
> certificates to his notice after the patent medicine plan of
> advertising. The following is one of the certificates:
>
> Artemas Ward:
>   Dear Sir--I have never heard any of your lectures, but from what I
> learn, I should say that for people who like the kind of lectures you
> deliver, they are just the kind of lectures such people like.
>
> Yours respectfully,
> O. Abe.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Garson
>
>
> On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 2:56 PM, 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: Bogus Lincoln quote? (UNCLASSIFIED)
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> There is evidence of an Artemus Ward advertisement with a bogus
>> testimonial from "O. Abe" in 1863:
>>
>> November 27, 1863 - Page 2
>> Burlington Weekly Free Press
>> Burlington, Vermont Friday,
>> Database: Newspapers.com
>>
>> On Fri, Sep 4, 2015 at 2:40 PM, Mullins, Bill CIV (US)
>> <william.d.mullins18.civ at mail.mil> wrote:
>>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>> Poster:       "Mullins, Bill CIV (US)" <william.d.mullins18.civ at MAIL.MIL>
>>> Subject:      Re: Bogus Lincoln quote? (UNCLASSIFIED)
>>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED
>>>
>>>>=20
>>>> Bill, details of your 1870 citation would interesting, I think.
>>>> Garson
>>>>=20
>>>
>>> "1870s" is just what I remember from looking into it a few years ago.  Sorr=
>>> y, didn't record the citation.
>>> CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED
>>>
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>>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
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>
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