[Ads-l] Adage: There is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

After posting the article about the adage in the subject line I was
sent some excellent antedatings in German by correspondent Alan
Crozier. The adage may have to be moved into the appendix of "The
Dictionary of Modern Proverbs" because the earliest two citations in
German occurred before 1900. Yet, the first appearance in English is
still post 1900.

An 1874 letter from German poet and novelist Berthold Auerbach
attributed the adage to German politician Heinrich Simon:

[ref] 1884, Berthold Auerbach: Briefe an seinen Freund Jakob Auerbach:
Ein biographisches Denkmal, (Letters to his friend Jakob Auerbach: A
biographical monument), Zweiter Band (Volume 2), Letter from: Berthold
Auerbach, Letter Date: September 12, 1874, Quote Page 224,
Literarische Anstalt Rütten & Loening, Frankfurt, Germany. (Google
Books Full View) link [/ref]

https://books.google.com/books?id=xowFAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Es+gibt+kein%22#v=snippet&

[Begin excerpt]
„Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, es gibt nur gute Kleider,“ hat der im
Wallensee ertrunkene großgesinnte Heinrich Simon im Sprichwort gehabt
und das gilt auch mir.
[End excerpt]

Here is one possible rendering into English:

[Begin translation]
“There is no such thing as bad weather, there are only good clothes,”
said the great-minded Heinrich Simon, who drowned in Lake Walen, and
the same applies to me.
[End translation]

In 1875 a German book about railways attributed the saying to German
humorist Bogumil Goltz:

[ref] 1875, Die Individualisirung und Entwickelbarkeit der Eisenbahnen
(The individualization and developability of railways) by M. M. Freih
von Weber, Quote Page 3, Druck und Verlag Von B. G. Teubner, Leipzig.
(Google Books Full View) link [/ref]

https://books.google.com/books?id=xcVkAAAAcAAJ&q=%22nur+gute%22#v=snippet&

[Begin excerpt]
Bogumil Goltz hat einmal gesagt: „Es gibt eigentlich kein schlechtes
Wetter, sondern nur gute Kleider“.
[End excerpt]

Here is one possible rendering into English:

[Begin translation]
Bogumil Goltz once said: “There is actually no such thing as bad
weather, only good clothes”.
[End translation]

The QI article has been updated and changes should be visible within 24 hours.

Quote Origin: There Is No Bad Weather, Only Inappropriate Clothing
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2024/03/30/weather-clothes/

Garson

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