[Ads-l] Proverb Origin: There Is a Special Providence That Protects Fools, Drunkards, and the United States

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Barry Popik has a webpage about the saying in the subject line:
http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/there_is_a_providence_that_protects_idiots_drunkards_children_and_the_unite

Fred started a thread about the saying in October 2009. Ken Hirsch and
I participated in the discussion.
http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2009-October/093767.html

This family of sayings has been evolving for hundreds of years; hence,
it is a complex topic. An anonymous French instance appeared in a
story by Marguerite de Valois in 1559. The United States was mentioned
in an 1849 version attributed to Abbé Correa, i.e., José Correia da
Serra. But he died in 1823, so this evidence was weak. Otto von
Bismarck implausibly received credit for a version in 1907. Bismarck
died in 1898.

Here is a link to the Quote Investigator article:
https://quoteinvestigator.com/2026/11/06/providence-fools/

Below is an overview with dates and attributions.

1559: Dieu ayde tousjours aux folz, aux amoureux et aux yvroignes
God always helps fools, lovers, and drunkards
(Attributed to Anonymous by Marguerite de Valois)

1618: Dieu ayde tousjours aux fols et aux yvrognes
God always looks after fools and drunkards
(French proverb according to Jean Gracieux)

1690: Dieu aide à trois sortes de personnes, aux fous, aux enfants, &
aux yvrognes
God looks after three types of people: fools, children, and drunkards
(French proverb according to Dictionaire Universel)

1708: Dieu aide toûjours aux fous, aux amoureux, & aux ivrognes
God always helps fools, lovers, and drunkards
(Attributed to Anonymous by Marguerite de Valois)

1830: Peculiar Providence which always watches over fools and drunkards
(French proverb according to Gulian Crommelin Verplanck)

1849: The special providence over the United States and little children
(Attributed to Abbé Correa by Francis Wharton)

1869 Nov: Heaven takes care of fools and drunkards
(Proverb according to Dinah Maria Craik)

1876: The special providence over the United States and little children
(Attributed to Abbé Correa)

1879 Aug: Special Providence for children and for the United States of America
(Attributed to Abbé Correa in The New York Times)

1886: God always has a care for fools, lovers, and drunken folk
(Attributed to Anonymous by Marguerite de Valois)

1892: God takes care of idiots and of drunkards
(Proverb according to William S. Walsh)

1896: Providence takes care of idiots, drunkards, and the United States
(Attributed to Abbé Correa by Maud Wilder Goodwin)

1896 Mar: The Lord takes care of idiots, children, and the United States
(Attributed to Josiah Strong by Laura Potter Gregory)

1907: God always looks after the fools and — and the United States
(Attributed to Otto von Bismarck by Herbert H. Sargent)

1918 Oct: Luck that is said to attend babes, fools and drunkards
(Anonymous)

1923 Mar: God is good to fools and drunkards
(Sherwood Anderson)

1967 Nov: God watches over fools, drunkards and organized baseball
(Jim Murray)

1972 Aug: God looks after fools, drunkards and the United States of America
(Attributed to Kaiser Wilhelm II)

2015: God looks after fools, drunkards and the United States of America
(Attributed to Otto von Bismarck by Paul Greenberg)

Feedback welcome
Garson

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