[Ads-l] Catchphrase Origin: Would a duck swim?

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

"Green's Dictionary of Slang" has an entry for sarcastic
interrogatives (Charles Doyle's term). Examples:

Would a duck swim?
Does a bird have wings?
Do sheep wear sweaters?
Is the Pope a Catholic?

Here is a link:
https://greensdictofslang.com/entry/6dklozy

The first two citations in Green's entry are bracketed, and the third
is dated 1894.

[Begin excerpt]
[1823 [US] J.F. Cooper Pilot (1824) II 167: 'Could you find the place
where you put the marines in ambush, Captain Manual?' 'Has a dog a
nose! and can he follow a clean scent!' exclaimed the marine].

[1864 [UK] G.A. Sala Quite Alone III 102: 'Tom Tuttleshell will be one
of us. You know Tom?' 'Do I know my grandmother? [...] Monsieur
Tuttleshell and I are friends - business friends - of some
standing.'].

1894 [Aus] Truth (Sydney) 15 Apr. 4/8: Would a duck swim? Would the
wild ass [...] go for a feed of thistles?
[End excerpt]

I think the 1823 citation is bracketed because the statement "Has a
dog a nose!" only occurs in James Fenimore Cooper's story (according
to a search in Google Books). Also, Cooper's full statement is more
complex: "Has a dog a nose! and can he follow a clean scent!"

I was able to find "Would a duck swim?" with the desired sense in
1833. This phrase occurs in multiple stories.

[ref] 1833 April 20, The Irish Penny Magazine, The Sportheen by M.R.,
Start Page 126, Quote Page 127, Thomas and John Coldwell, Dublin,
Ireland. (Google Books Full View) link [/ref]

https://books.google.com/books?id=NTUFAAAAQAAJ&q=%22duck+swim%22#v=snippet&

[Begin excerpt]
"Well, Katty repated the words -- 'will you do my sisther the honor ov
dancin' wid hur?'
"'Would a duck swim?' ses Mick smirkin', 'especially wid beauty for
his iliment! ha! ha! ha! Eh, mother, won't that settle their hash?'
[End excerpt]

I do not know whether there exist earlier citations for sarcastic
interrogatives that achieved significant circulation.

Garson

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