[Ads-l] Never complain, never explain.

Mon Oct 3 22:42:09 UTC 2022

Mark Mandel wrote:
>
> I learned a form of this expression many years ago: "Never complain, never
> explain. Your friends won't need it and your enemies won't believe it." I'm
> pretty sure I heard it in conversation, rather than reading it.

The 1904 citation below referred to “Fra Elbertus”, i.e., Elbert Hubbard.

Date: February 22, 1904
Newspaper: Reno Gazette-Journal
Newspaper Location: Reno, Nevada
Article: Lenten Season Observations
Author: Correspondent of the Gazette
Quote Page 3, Column 1
Database: Newspapers.com

[Begin excerpt]
Fra Elbertus says "Never explain; your friends don't require it, and
your enemies won't believe you, anyway."
[End excerpt]

Fred has also pointed to Elbert Hubbard in the NYBQ with a 1907
citation and a slightly different phrasing.

[ref] 2021, The New Yale Book of Quotations by Fred R. Shapiro,
Section: Elbert Hubbard, Quote Page 395, Yale University Press, New
Haven, Connecticut. (Verified with hardcopy) [/ref]

[Begin excerpt]
Never explain—your friends do not need it and your enemies will not
believe you anyhow.
The Motto Book (1907)
[End excerpt]

Garson

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