[Ads-l] Quote: The man who is good at making an excuse is seldom good at anything else

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

I received a request to examine the saying in the subject line which
is typically attributed to Benjamin Franklin who died in 1790. The
earliest two pertinent citations I've located appeared in 1809.
Perhaps a list member can find and share some earlier evidence.

Here is link to the Quote Investigator article on the topic.
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2018/03/08/excuses/

The book "Liber Facetiarum: Being a Collection of Curious and
Interesting Anecdotes" included a tale ascribing the nugget of wisdom
to Franklin:

[ref] 1809, Liber Facetiarum: Being a Collection of Curious and
Interesting Anecdotes, Quote Page 182, Printed be and for D. Akenhead
and Sons, Newcastle Upon Tyne, England. (HathiTrust Full View) link
[/ref]

https://hdl.handle.net/2027/nyp.33433074922000?urlappend=%3Bseq=204

[Begin excerpt]
A young American having broken an appointment with Dr Franklin, came
to him the following day, and made a very handsome apology for his
absence: He was proceeding, when the doctor stopped him with, "My good
boy, say no more, you have said too much already; for the man who is
good at making an excuse, is seldom good at any thing else.
Anecdotes of D. F.
[End excerpt]

Also, in 1809 the text of Theodore Edward Hook's work titled "Safe and
Sound: An Opera in Three Acts" was published in London. A character
delivered the line while criticizing another character:

[ref] 1810 (1809 London Edition), The English and American Stage,
Volume 34, Safe and Sound: An Opera in Three Acts by Theodore Edward
Hook, Performed at The Lyceum Theatre in London, Start Page 2, Quote
Page 40, Published by D. Longworth, New York. (Google Books Full View)
link [/ref]

https://books.google.com/books?id=3z4ZAAAAYAAJ&q=%22excuses+is%22#v=snippet&

[Begin excerpt]
Lind: I assure you I did not mean——

Baron. Make no excuse—a man who is good at making excuses is seldom
good at any thing else. Here come the guards—get away—get away.

Lind. Generous man
[End excerpt]

Garson O'Toole
QuoteInvestigator.com

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