The problem with political jokes is they get elected.

– Henry Cate VII. Link.

Gur

Yes, this quotation is attributed to "Henry Cate VII" on about a thousand websites. Not one of those websites mentions anything else about Henry Cate VII. We don't know when he was born, when he died, or even the simple essential of when he said the quotation.

Such is the state of the internet. Copying made easy.

Fred Shaprio and I research the earliest and best citations using full-text databases. Our new book, the Yale Dictionary of Quotations, was recently mentioned in William Safire's "On Language" column in the New York Times Magazine.

Lesson learned. Very good question. Who is Henry Cate VII?

- Gur

Upon further review (Google Groups--search for "Henry Cate VII"), it appears that Henry Cate VII wrote for the newsgroup rec.humor in 1990. His name got attached as this quotation's author, to be repeated over and over, without question, on a thousand lazy websites!

The one-quote wonder of Henry Cate VII--who might not have been alive in 1958.

A cautionary web lesson for all of us. A thousand people can easily be wrong--check out the facts yourself!

Also consider the likelihood of the number VII in someone's name. In this country a person is Junior if named after his father, and is the III if named after his father and grandfather, if his grandfather is still alive, and is the IV if name after his father, grandfather and great grandfather, and all are STILL alive. How likely is it that someone would have six generations of father, grand-f, great-grand-f, great-great-grand-f, etc. alive at the time of his birth?

The only people who use the Roman numerals when their forebears are dead are Kings, Queens, Emperors, Empresses, Popes (what's a female pope?:-b), etc. for legal and dynastic reasons.

Also consider the likelihood of the number VII in someone's name. In this country a person is Junior if named after his father, and is the III if named after his father and grandfather, if his grandfather is still alive, and is the IV if name after his father, grandfather and great grandfather, and all are STILL alive. How likely is it that someone would have six generations of father, grand-f, great-grand-f, great-great-grand-f, etc. alive at the time of his birth?

The only people who use the Roman numerals when their forebears are dead are Kings, Queens, Emperors, Empresses, Popes (what's a female pope?:-b), etc. for legal and dynastic reasons.