[Ads-l] Quote: You cannot fool all the people all the time (Jacques Abbadie; Prohibitionists)
ADSGarson O'Toole
adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM
Tue Jan 16 00:55:14 UTC 2024
Thanks, JL. "Twisted Wisdom" has twenty examples of anti-proverbs
based on "You can fool some of the people all the time . . .", but
none are as early as your 1905 example. Here are two examples from the
book:
[ref] 1999, Twisted Wisdom: Modern Anti-Proverbs by Wolfgang Mieder
and Anna Tóthné Litovkina, Quote Page 237-239, University of Vermont,
Burlington, Vermont. (Verified on paper) [/ref]
[Begin excerpt]
You can fool some of the people all the time, all the people some of
the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time.
(DAP 460)
{Misleading people has its limits.}
A clever politician knows that it isn't necessary to fool all the
people all the time - just during the campaign. (Esar 1968: 110)
You can fool too many of the people too much of the time. (James
Thurber, The Owl Who Was God, in Thurber 1940: 36)
[End excerpt]
Garson
On Mon, Jan 15, 2024 at 1:39 PM Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> 1905 _Pittsburgh Post_ (Feb. 16) 5: HIS SOLE CONCERN "You can't fool all
> of the people all of the time," said the man who is fond of moral
> reflections. "No," responded Senator Shugar, "you can't. But you kin fool
> enough of the people enough of the time to graft out a purity [sic]
> respectable bank roll, an' that's all that interests this chicken."
>
> "Sen. Shugar" appears to be imaginary.
>
> JL
>
> On Sun, Dec 8, 2013 at 1:06 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: Quote: You cannot fool all the people all the time
> > (Jacques
> > Abbadie; Prohibitionists)
> >
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Thanks for your response JL. The saying did inspire the construction
> > of some anti-proverbs. Here are two precursors followed by two
> > instances of a common anti-proverb. The cites here seem rather late
> > given the age of the proverb and probably can be improved.
> >
> > [ref] 1896 June 09, The Knoxville Journal (Daily Journal and Journal
> > and Tribune), "H. Clay Evans. Will Take Care of Our Bob All Right, in
> > Good Shape", Start Page 2, Quote Page 2, Knoxville, Tennessee.
> > (GenealogyBank)[/ref]
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > They know傭ecause they have tried it葉hat they "can fool all the
> > people a part of the time and a part of the people all the time" but
> > they have found out that they "can't fool all of the people all the
> > time." So the question that mostly concerns them now is can they still
> > fool enough of the people to keep themselves in power?
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> >
> > [ref] 1896 October 05, The Evening Journal (Jersey Journal), From
> > State Exchanges: Editorial Opinions on Current Topics, Quote Page 4,
> > Column 4, Jersey City, New Jersey. (GenealogyBank)[/ref]
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > The Newark News got a snap shot at Bryan which moved it to say: "Mr.
> > Bryan doubtless takes comfort and encouragement from one famous saying
> > of Mr. Lincoln. 'You can fool some people all the time, and all the
> > people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the
> > time,' said the great President. Mr. Bryan has no desire to fool all
> > the people all the time. If he could fool enough of them to elect him
> > President on Nov. 8, he would be quite well contented."
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> >
> > [ref] 1900 May 06, The Sunday Herald (Boston Herald), Current Fun,
> > Quote Page 46, Column 7, Boston, Massachusetts. (GenealogyBank)[/ref]
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > Once upon a time some Reformers, looking very ferocious, came upon
> > some Ordinary Persons. All this in a certain large and populous town.
> > "Can you show us any tiger's tracks?" asked the Reformers.
> > "We can show you a tiger," replied the Ordinary Persons.
> > "All we want is tracks!" protested the Reformers and went their way
> > with much noise and were all presently elected to fat offices, it
> > being possible always to fool enough of the people enough of the
> > time.猶uck.
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> >
> > [ref] 1908 October 28, The Sydney Mail, Humourist, (Freestanding short
> > joke), Quote Page 2, Column 1, Sydney, Australia. (Google News
> > Archive)[/ref]
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > "I should think you'd go slow," said the cautious friend, "You know,
> > as Lincoln said, you can fool all the people some of the time, and
> > some of the people'"----
> > "That's all right," interrupted the sharper, "but I find it's always
> > possible to fool enough of the people enough of the time."
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > Garson
> >
> > On Sun, Dec 8, 2013 at 10:15 AM, Jonathan Lighter
> > <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > > Sender: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > > Poster: Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> > > Subject: Re: Quote: You cannot fool all the people all the time
> > (Jacques
> > > Abbadie; Prohibitionists)
> > >
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > It was in the early '80s that I first encountered the extended version
> > > exemplified below. My students loved it, possibly because it gave them
> > > hope.
> > >
> > > 1915 E. A. Ross in _Publication of the American Sociological Society_ IX
> > > 131: Someone has amended Lincoln's optimistic aphorism, "You can't fool
> > all
> > > the people all of the time," with the saying: "But you can fool enough of
> > > the people enough of the time."
> > >
> > > JL
> > >
> > >
> > > On Sat, Dec 7, 2013 at 8:39 PM, ADSGarson O'Toole <
> > adsgarsonotoole at gmail.co=
> > > m
> > >> 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: Quote: You cannot fool all the people all the time
> > (Jacques
> > >> Abbadie; Prohibitionists)
> > >>
> > >>
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
> > > ------
> > >>
> > >> A famous adage attributed to Abraham Lincoln was discussed on this
> > >> list in 2010 and 2012. Here is the version listed at Wikiquote:
> > >>
> > >> You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people
> > >> some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the
> > >> time.
> > >>
> > >> The earliest currently known strong match for the saying appeared on
> > >> July 5, 1886 in the "Springfield Globe-Republic" of Ohio, I believe.
> > >> Steve Goranson found this excellent citation. Further below I list
> > >> some earlier matches.
> > >>
> > >> The Yale Book of Quotations has an important precursor expression in
> > >> French from Denis Diderot in 1754. I've located a nearly identical
> > >> statement in 1684 employed by Jacques Abbadie in an influential
> > >> treatise of Christian apologetics.
> > >>
> > >> Year: 1684 (MDCLXXXIV),
> > >> Title: Trait=C3=A9 de la V=C3=A9rit=C3=A9 de la Religion
> > Chr=C3=A9tienne,
> > >> Author: Jacques Abbadie,
> > >> Quote Page 11,
> > >> Publisher: Chez Reinier Leers, Rotterdam,
> > >> (The original text used "tems" instead of "temps" which is given in
> > >> the excerpt here)
> > >> (Google Books Full View)
> > >>
> > http://books.google.com/books?id=3DJNF8mfdKl90C&q=3D%22tous+dans%22#v=3Ds=
> > > nippet&
> > >>
> > >> [Begin excerpt]
> > >> ... ont p=C5=B1 tromper quelques hommes, ou les tromper tous dans
> > certain=
> > > s
> > >> lieux & en certains temps, mais non pas tous les hommes, dans tous les
> > >> lieux & dans tous les si=C3=A9cles.
> > >> [End excerpt]
> > >>
> > >> [Begin translation from YBQ]
> > >> One can fool some men, or fool all men in some places and times, but
> > >> one cannot fool all men in all places and ages.
> > >> [End translation]
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> On September 9, 1885 "The Syracuse Daily Standard" of Syracuse, New
> > >> York published an article about a convention of Prohibitionists during
> > >> which a speech was delivered by a judge named William. J. Groo who
> > >> complained about the actions of state politicians. He spoke a version
> > >> of the adage without attribution:
> > >>
> > >> [ref] 1885 September 9, The Syracuse Daily Standard, Prohibitionists
> > >> in Arms: The Third Party Declare War to the Knife on Democrats and
> > >> Republicans, Quote Page 4, Column 4, Syracuse, New York. (Old
> > >> Fulton)[/ref]
> > >>
> > >> [Begin excerpt]
> > >> You can fool all the people part of the time, or you can fool some
> > >> people all the time, but you cannot fool all people all the time.
> > >> [End excerpt]
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> On March 8, 1886 "The Albany Times" of Albany, New York published an
> > >> article titled "Prohibitionists Not Fooled" that included an interview
> > >> with Fred. F. Wheeler who was the chairman of the prohibition state
> > >> committee. Wheeler was in favor of submitting a prohibition amendment
> > >> to the general electorate for a vote. He criticized politicians who he
> > >> thought were attempting to fool the public and impede the movement
> > >> toward such a referendum. In the following excerpt Wheeler attributed
> > >> an instance of the adage to Lincoln:
> > >>
> > >> [ref] 1886 March 8, The Albany Times (Albany Evening Times),
> > >> Prohibitionists Not Fooled: By Advances of the Republican
> > >> Party=E2=80=94Interesting Interview with Chairman Wheeler, Quote Page 3,
> > >> Column 4, Albany, New York. (Old Fulton)[/ref]
> > >>
> > >> [Begin excerpt]
> > >> They should remember Abraham Lincoln's famous saying: "You can fool
> > >> part of the people some of the time, you can fool some of the people
> > >> all of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all of the time,"
> > >> and take their stand boldly and fearlessly on this question and abide
> > >> the result at the ballot box.
> > >> [End excerpt]
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> On May 4, 1886 "The Brooklyn Daily Eagle" printed "Coquetting with
> > >> Prohibitionists" which consisted of an extended excerpt from "The
> > >> Voice" a periodical operated by prohibitionists. A version of the
> > >> expression under investigation was credited to Lincoln:
> > >>
> > >> [ref] 1886 May 4, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Coquetting with
> > >> Prohibitionists, (Acknowledgement "From the Voice, the Prohibition
> > >> Organ"), Quote Page 2, Column 2, Brooklyn, New York. (Old
> > >> Fulton)[/ref]
> > >>
> > >> [Begin excerpt]
> > >> But, as Lincoln used to say, you can fool all of the people some of
> > >> the time, and you can fool some of the people all of the time; but you
> > >> can't fool all the people all the time.
> > >> [End excerpt]
> > >>
> > >> The text above was also printed on May 5, 2013 in the "The Genesee
> > >> Valley Post" of Belmont, New York
> > >>
> > >> [ref] 1886 May 5, The Genesee Valley Post (Belmont Genesee Valley
> > >> Post), The Prohibitionists Ask No Favors But Demand Their Rights,
> > >> (Acknowledgement to the Voice), Quote Page 2, Column 2, Belmont, New
> > >> York. (NewspaperArchive)[/ref]
> > >>
> > >> Garson
> > >>
> > >> ------------------------------------------------------------
> > >> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --=20
> > > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> > truth."
> > >
> > > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> >
>
>
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
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