[Ads-l] Anecdote: "Coffee is a slow poison." "Yes, very slow, Doctor, for I have taken it every day for eighty years."

ADSGarson O'Toole adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM
Sat Nov 24 01:00:25 UTC 2018


The dialog in the subject line comes from an anecdote that has been
told about Voltaire and Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle. Voltaire
reportedly drank many cups of a chocolate-coffee combination. I was
asked to investigate the tale.

Fontenelle died in 1757. Voltaire died in 1778.

The earliest citation I've found appeared in 1780. Fontenelle received credit.

https://quoteinvestigator.com/2018/11/22/coffee/

If you are interested please take a look at the first two French
translations (improvements requested). Earlier (or illuminating)
citations in French or English would be welcome.

Thanks, Garson

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



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