Quote Investigator® – Tracing Quotations

Quote Origin: In Physics, Almost Everything Is Already Discovered, and All That Remains Is to Fill a Few Unimportant Holes

Philipp von Jolly? Max Planck? George Gamow? Neil de Grasse Tyson? Richard Feynman? Ian Stewart? Apocryphal?

**Depiction of a plasma ball from Hal Gatewood at Unsplash**

Question for Quote Investigator: According to legend, a talented student asked a prominent physicist about the future of his field, and the response was thoroughly discouraging:

Almost everything is already discovered, and all that remains is to fill a few unimportant holes.

Reportedly, the student was Max Planck who eventually became a Nobel-prize- winning quantum physicist. Would you please explore the authenticity of this anecdote? Who was the pessimistic physicist?

Reply from Quote Investigator: In 1924 Max Planck was a Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Berlin in Germany. He delivered a guest lecture at the University of Munich. Planck recounted his experience as a student when he approached experimental physicist Philipp von Jolly to learn more about his future career. The conversation with Jolly occurred sometime between 1874 when Planck began his studies and 1879 when he defended his PhD thesis. The following passage in German is followed by an English rendering. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:¹

Als ich meine physikalischen Studien begann und bei meinem ehrwürdigen Lehrer Philipp v Jolly wegen der Bedingungen und Aussichten meines Studiums mir Rat erholte, schilderte mir dieser die Physik als eine hochentwickelte, nahezu voll ausgereifte Wissenschaft, die nunmehr, nachdem ihr durch die Entdeckung des Prinzips der Erhaltung der Energie gewissermaßen die Krone aufgesetzt sei, wohl bald ihre endgültige stabile Form angenommen haben würde. Wohl gäbe es vielleicht in einem oder dem anderen Winkel noch ein Stäubchen oder ein Bläschen zu prüfen und einzuordnen, aber das System als Ganzes stehe ziemlich gesichert da, und die theoretische Physik nähere sich merklich demjenigen Grade der Vollendung, wie ihn etwa die Geometrie schon seit Jahrhunderten besitze.

When I began my studies in physics and sought the advice of my esteemed teacher, Philipp von Jolly, regarding the conditions and prospects of my studies, he described physics to me as a highly developed, nearly fully mature science—one which, now that the discovery of the principle of the conservation of energy had, as it were, placed the crown upon it, would likely soon assume its final, stable form. While there might perhaps remain a speck of dust or a bubble here or there to be examined and classified, the system as a whole stood quite secure, and theoretical physics was perceptibly approaching that degree of perfection which, for instance, geometry had already possessed for centuries.

QI believes that the short quotation under examination was not spoken by Philipp von Jolly or Max Planck; instead, the modern quotation was created by an unknown person as a paraphrase of the passage above.

Below are additional selected citations in chronological order.

Quote Origin: Laughter Is the Shortest Distance Between Two People

Victor Borge? Mary S. Taylor? Roy L. Smith? Jay Freeman? Walter Winchell? Anonymous?

**Picture of a joyful group of people in silhouette from Unsplash**

Question for Quote Investigator: The bonds between people can be enhanced when they laugh together. The following saying reflects this viewpoint:

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.

This statement has been attributed to the Danish-American comedian and pianist Victor Borge. I have not been able to find a solid citation. Would you please help?

Reply from Quote Investigator: In 1972 Associated Press journalist Vivian Brown interviewed Victor Borge at his waterfront home, and Borge employed an exact match for this statement. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:¹

Laughter is the shortest distance between two people, commented comedian and concert pianist, Victor Borge. We should laugh more to enjoy our families and our work.

During the 1960s Borge employed variants of this expression during his performances using the words “smile”, “humor”, “laughter”, “persons”, and “people”. The sayings evolved from a larger family of expressions which began circulating near the beginning of the twentieth century.

Here is an overview with dates and attributions:

1909 Jun: A chord of sympathy is the shortest distance between two hearts (Mary S. Taylor)

1915 Apr: What is a smile? The shortest distance between two ears (Anonymous)

1924 Feb: A Flower Valentine … is the shortest distance between two hearts (Advertisement for florist James Weir)

1932 Aug: A smile is the shortest distance between two hearts (Reverend Roy L. Smith)

1937 Apr: Love is the shortest distance between two hearts (Attributed to Jay Freeman by Walter Winchell)

1965 Nov: Laughter is the shortest distance between two persons (Victor Borge)

1966 Apr: A smile is the shortest distance between two people (Victor Borge)

1966 Jun: What is humor? The shortest distance of truth between two people (Victor Borge)

1966 Jul: The shortest distance between two people is a smile (Victor Borge)

1972 Jun: Laughter is the shortest distance between two people (Victor Borge)

Below are details for selected citations in chronological order.

Quote Origin: Do Not Confine Your Children to Your Own Learning, for They Were Born in Another Time

Rabindranath Tagore? Rabbinic Saying? Arabic Proverb? Talmud? A. Huebsch? Leo Rosten? Anonymous?

**Group of children in silhouette from Unsplash**

Question for Quote Investigator: Knowledge accumulates, and the education of each generation of children must include the latest information and capabilities. Here are two versions of a saying that expresses this idea:

(1) Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time.

(2) Don’t limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time.

This notion has been attributed to the Bengali sage Rabindranath Tagore. The statement has also been called a Rabbinical saying and an Arabic Proverb. Would you please explore the provenance of this expression?

Reply from Quote Investigator: The earliest match found by QI appeared in an 1877 book titled “Gems of the Orient” which contained sayings compiled and translated by Reverend A. Huebsch. The saying occurred in a part of the volume titled “Arabic Proverbs and Sentences”. The precise source of the saying was not specified. Here are four statements from the subsection about “Children”. Boldface added to excepts by QI:¹

Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time.

By much falling the child learns to walk.

From the rose proceeds a thorn, from the thorn a rose. (Said of the diversity between parents and children.)

Be submissive in thy childhood that thou mayest be respected in thy old age.

In 1894 “Good Housekeeping” magazine printed a collection of miscellaneous sayings under the title “The Family Scrap Basket” including the following three items:²

What class of tradesmen succeed best by going to the wall? Paper hangers.

He is a gallant man, indeed, who always stands up for women—in a street car.

Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time.

In 1900 the saying appeared in “Wit and Wisdom of the Talmud” edited by Madison C. Peters. Here are four statements from a section titled “Duties Between Parents and Children”:³

Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time.

Where the children honor their parents, there God dwells, there He is honored.

Parental love should be impartial; one child must not be preferred to the other.

The three citations above demonstrate the uncertain origin of the saying. The creator remains anonymous. The saying seems to be either Arabic or Rabbinic. QI hopes that future research will help to clarify the origin.

The earliest attribution to Rabindranath Tagore found by QI appeared in 2008 which is an extremely late date.

Below are additional selected citations in chronological order.

Adage Origin: Nobody Notices When Things Go Right

M. Zimmerman? Paul Dickson? Allan L. Otten? Bob Garing? Futurama? Anonymous?

**A stack of balanced rocks from Unsplash**

Question for Quote Investigator: The loudest and most voluble commentators often combine relentless criticism with meager praise. An unhappy worker crafted the following adage:

Nobody notices when things go right.

This statement is sometimes called “Zimmerman’s Law of Complaints”. Do you know anything about this Zimmerman? Would you please explore this topic?

Reply from Quote Investigator: The earliest match found by QI appeared in the 1978 book “The Official Rules: The Definitive, Annotated Collection of Laws, Principles, and Instructions for Dealing with the Real World” compiled by Paul Dickson:¹

Zimmerman’s Law of Complaints. Nobody notices when things go right. (M. Zimmerman. AO.)

The label “AO” pointed to additional information about the authorship of this rule. The book’s section about sources specified the following for “AO”:

AO Allan L. Otten of The Wall Street Journal. From his files and columns on the subject.

Thus, Paul Dickson received the rule from Allan L. Otten who credited M. Zimmerman. QI does not know the full first name of Zimmerman. The book contains only one rule/law from Zimmerman.

Below are additional selected citations in chronological order.

Quote Origin: It Was Worse Than a Crime; It Was a Blunder

Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord? Joseph Fouché? Antoine Boulay de la Meurthe? Napoleon Bonaparte? Jean-Gabriel Peltier? Germaine de Staël? Emmanuel Comte de Las Cases? Walter Scott? Ralph Waldo Emerson?

Question for Quote Investigator: In 1804 the Duke of Enghien was accused of aiding Britain and plotting against Napoleon. Enghien was found guilty and executed. This rapid and brutal action shocked the aristocrats of Europe. Here are two versions of a famous response to this event in French and English:

(1) C’est plus qu’un crime, c’est une faute.
(2) C’est pire qu’un crime, c’est une faute.

(A) It is more than a crime; it is a blunder.
(B) It is worse than a crime; it is a blunder.

This remark has been attributed to the diplomat Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, the police chief Joseph Fouché, the magistrate Antoine Boulay de la Meurthe, and the military leader Napoleon Bonaparte. Would you please explore this topic?

Reply from Quote Investigator: The earliest match found by QI appeared in 1807 within the periodical “L’Ambigu: ou Variétés Littéraires et Politiques” (“The Ambiguous: or Literary and Political Varieties”) which was edited by the French journalist Jean-Gabriel Peltier and published in London. An article attributed the saying to Antoine Boulay de la Meurthe. Below is an excerpt in French followed by an English translation. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:¹

… on ne peut se dispenser de citer ici un mot froidement atroce de Boulay (de la Meurthe) conseiller d’état, à qui quelqu’un disait : je pense que la mort du Duc d’Enghien est un crime inutile. C’est bien plus qu’un crime, s’écria Boulay, c’est une faute !

… we cannot refrain from quoting here a coldly atrocious remark made by Boulay (de la Meurthe), a Councilor of State, to whom someone said: “I believe that the death of the Duke of Enghien is a pointless crime.” “It is far more than a crime,” exclaimed Boulay; “it is a blunder!”

Based on the citation above, Antoine Boulay de la Meurthe is the most likely creator of this saying. Joseph Fouché is the second most likely creator. Fouché received credit by 1813. Talleyrand received credit in 1822, and Napoleon received credit in 1844.

Below are details for additional selected citations in chronological order.

Quote Origin: A Hero Has the Wisdom and the Maturity to Use the Power Wisely

Christopher Reeve? David Michael Petrou? Clark Kent? Kal-El? Apocryphal?

**Silhouette of a person from Unsplash**

Question for Quote Investigator: An actor who played Superman was asked about the enduring popularity of the character. The actor stated that the appeal was not based solely on power. Instead, true heroism was shown by the wisdom and maturity displayed while wielding power. Would you please help me to find the correct phrasing of this quotation and the identity of the actor?

Reply from Quote Investigator: An influential depiction of superheroism appeared in the 1978 film “Superman”. Producer David Michael Petrou published a companion book titled “The Making of Superman: The Movie” in the same year. Petrou spoke to actor Christopher Reeve who had been selected to play the role of Superman and his alter ego Clark Kent / Kal-El:¹

As much as he looked the part, however, Chris made it clear when he talked to me later on the set that the film Superman would have to have greater depth of character than the comic-book figure.

Reeves continued his remarks with a statement about power:

So what I’m trying to do is to go way under. If the script calls for incredible feats, all I have to do is . . . just simply do them. What makes Superman a hero is not that he has power, but that he has the wisdom and the maturity to use the power wisely. From an acting point of view, that’s how I approach the part.

Below are additional selected citations in chronological order.

Quote Origin: Change the Way You Look at Things, and the Things You Look at Change

Wayne Dyer? Max Planck? Benjamin Wheeler? Gilda Wheeler? Wendy Church? Anonymous?

**Crystal sphere at the beach from Unsplash**

Question for Quote Investigator: When you change your viewpoint on life the entire world can be altered. Carefully deciding where to focus your attention and your efforts is crucial to leading a successful life. Here is a pertinent adage:

Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change.

This saying has been attributed to two very different people: U.S. self-help author Wayne Dyer and German theoretical physicist Max Planck. I have not seen a solid citation, and I am skeptical of these attributions. Would you please explore this topic?

Reply from Quote Investigator: QI has found no substantive evidence that Max Planck said or wrote this remark. Planck died in 1947.

In 2004 Wayne Dyer published “The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-Create Your World Your Way”. The tenth chapter began with the following passage. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:¹

One of my secrets for feeling successful and attracting bountiful abundance into my life has been an internal axiom that I use virtually every day of my life. It goes like this: Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change. This has always worked for me.

The truth of this little maxim is actually found in the field of quantum physics, which, according to some, is a subject that’s not only stranger than you think it is, it’s stranger than you can think.

QI believes that Wayne Dyer deserves credit for the quotation under examination.

Below are additional selected citations in chronological order.

Quote Origin: Every Writer Has a Lifetime Ration of Three Exclamation Points

William Maxwell? Annabel Davis-Goff? Elmore Leonard? Helen Dudar? Benjamin Dreyer? William Safire? F. Scott Fitzgerald? Sheilah Graham? Christopher Morley? Terry Hersom? Anonymous?

**Three exclamation points and a question mark from Unsplash**

Question for Quote Investigator: The stylistically appropriate use of exclamation points is a contentious topic. One writer proposed the following comically extreme self-contradictory rule:

Kill all exclamation points!!!

Style guides have presented the following instructions:

(1) A writer gets two exclamation points in a lifetime.
(2) Every writer has a lifetime ration of three exclamation points.
(3) Use no more than a dozen exclamation points per book.

Rules of this type have been attributed to magazine editor William Maxwell, crime writer Elmore Leonard, copy editor Benjamin Dreyer, speechwriter William Safire, and others. Would you please explore this topic?

Reply from Quote Investigator: The earliest match with a numerical restriction on exclamation points found by QI appeared in “The Sioux City Journal” of Iowa in October 1979. Sports journalist Terry Hersom wrote the following. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:¹

After all, writers are entrusted with three exclamation points to last a lifetime, so as not to squander them. When one has wasted the ultimate symbol, he leaves nothing for the future.

The notion of controlling the use of exclamation points can be expressed in many ways; hence, it is difficult to trace. Here is an evolutionary overview with dates and attributions:

1919: It should be written with great rapidity, containing not less than ten exclamation points per page (Satirical remark by Christopher Morley)

1930: The Times’ typographical rules for news-stories forbade the use of the exclamation point (Claim about “The New York Times” made in “The New Yorker”)

1958: Cut out all these exclamation points. An exclamation point is like laughing at your own joke (Attributed to F. Scott Fitzgerald by Sheilah Graham)

1979 Jan: The quote … always appears with more exclamation points than a prudent writer is likely to use in a lifetime (Helen Dudar)

1979 Oct: Writers are entrusted with three exclamation points to last a lifetime (Terry Hersom)

1979 Nov: Don’t overuse exclamation marks!!! (William Safire)

1990: Unless you are quoting other people’s exclamations, kill all exclamation points!!! (William Safire)

1997: A writer gets two exclamation points in a lifetime (Attributed to William Maxwell by Jane Schwartz)

1999: A writer gets two exclamation points in a lifetime (Attributed to William Maxwell by Edward Hirsch)

2001: Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose (Elmore Leonard)

2004: Every writer has a lifetime ration of three exclamation points (Annabel Davis-Goff states that William Maxwell made this statement directly to her)

2008: Each of us is allowed only three exclamation points in a lifetime (Attributed to Allen Smith by colleagues Candy Schwartz and Peter Hernon)

2019: Some writers recommend that you should use no more than a dozen exclamation points per book; others insist that you should use no more than a dozen exclamation points in a lifetime (Benjamin Dreyer)

Below are details for selected citations in chronological order.

Quote Origin: God’s Only Excuse Is That He Does Not Exist

Stendhal? Marie-Henri Beyle? Friedrich Nietzsche? Albert Camus? Prosper Mérimée? Apocryphal?

**Silhouette of a person contemplating a star field from Unsplash**

Question for Quote Investigator: An atheist who was angry about the state of the world crafted the following comically paradoxical saying:

The only excuse for God is that he does not exist.

This remark has been attributed to the French Romantic novelist Marie-Henri Beyle (known by his pen name Stendhal). The statement has also been credited to the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and the French philosopher Albert Camus. Would you please explore this topic?

Reply from Quote Investigator: Marie-Henri Beyle died in 1842. In 1850 the French writer and archaeologist Prosper Mérimée published a short work about his friend. The title of the work, “H. B.”, was based on the initials of Henri Beyle. Mérimée presented the following tale about Beyle. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:¹

Il n’avait aucune idée religieuse, ou s’il en avait, il apportait un sentiment de colère et de rancune contre la Providence. « Ce qui excuse Dieu, disait-il, c’est qu’il n’existe pas. »

Here is one possible rendering into English:

He never had any sense of religion, or if he did, he harbored a sense of anger and resentment toward Providence. “God’s only excuse,” he’d say, “is that He doesn’t exist.”

Friedrich Nietzsche mentioned this saying in his book “Ecce Homo”, but Nietzsche credited the remark to Stendhal.

Albert Camus mentioned the saying in his book “L’Homme Révolté” (“The Rebel”), but Camus commented that Nietzsche attributed the statement to Stendhal.

Below are additional selected citations in chronological order.

Joke Origin: “Do You Serve Lobsters Here?” “Yes, We Serve Anyone”

Life Magazine? Milton College? Joan Kochanowski? Norman Brinkmeier? Anonymous?

**Illustration of Lobster (Homarus Americanus) from N.Y. Public Library**

Question for Quote Investigator: There is a family of wordplay jokes in which a customer asks a waiter about the availability of seafood. Here are three examples:

“Waiter, do you serve shrimps here?” “Sure. We don’t care how tall you are. Sit down.”

“Do you serve crabs?” “Yes, we treat all customers alike.”

“Do you serve lobsters here? ” “Oh, yes sir, we serve anyone. Sit right down.”

In each of these jokes, the seafood term is not interpreted as a menu item; instead, the term is applied to the customer. Would you please trace the history of this family of jokes?

Reply from Quote Investigator: The earliest match located by QI appeared in “The Scioto Gazette” of Chillicothe, Ohio in March 1901. Boldface added to excerpts by QI:¹

“Do you serve lobsters here?” asked the new arrival.

“Well,” replied the waiter, “we ’as our instructions to discriminate as much as possible among them as comes in to eat.”

This joke can be understood as an absurdist misunderstanding. Further, circa 1901 there were several different slang interpretations for “lobster”. Here are five senses listed in “Green’s Dictionary of Slang”:²

1. (a) a soldier, a marine (who also wears scarlet).

1. (b) (also blue lobster) a policeman.

2. (a) (US) a slow-witted, awkward, or gullible person; a general term of abuse; esp. of a socially inept or foolish person.

2. (b) an older man who gives a younger woman presents and/or money in return for sexual favours.

3 (US) in the context of obtaining money, one who is a waste of effort.

The joke above appeared in several newspapers in 1901 including “The Omaha Daily News” in Nebraska,³ “The Washington Reporter” in Pennsylvania,⁴ and “The Wilsonton Journal” in Kansas.⁵

Below are additional selected citations in chronological order.