Re: Blood and treasure

Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Donna Richoux wrote:
>
> > Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> >>Yep. It appeared as early as Aug. 13, 1940 in the New York Times as the
> >>"suggested title" of Churchill's anthology of speeches for publication
> >>in the U.S. -- the suggestion apparently coming from Putnam's.
> >
> > That's funny. No, really, was that it? Nobody else?
>
> Sorry, what's the question? That's the earliest it appears in connection
> to Churchill, but it appears several times thereafter in the runup to
> the book's publication.

I was expecting to learn of someone else *besides* the publisher
connectiong "blood, sweat and tears" to Churchill during that period. It
seems a lot more likely to me to be an alteration made by the public at
large than by two North American publishing companies! However...

So when is it that popular misquotes (besides references to the book
title) turn up? Like a newspaper editorial saying "Mr. Churchill
promised that he would give his blood, sweat, and tears on behalf of
Britain..." (Invented example).

>On Sep. 6, 1940 the New York Times reported:
>
> -----
> Putnam's is marking time on the new Winston Churchill book. The
> publishers have not had approval from the British Prime Minister on
> their proposed title of "Blood, Sweat and Tears.

Tantalizing. Why was it they wanted to call it that, if Churchill didn't
approve?

> The earliest example on Proquest, by the way, is from 1846:
>
> -----
> "Christ in the Garden", _The Green Mountain Gem_, Sep 1846. p. 202
> So deep was his sorrow-- so fervent his prayer,
> That down on his bosom rolled blood, sweat and tears;
> I wept to behold him, and asked him his name,
> He answered 't is Jesus! -- from heaven I came!
> -----
That's important, I feel. It's not found by Google.

> There's also an example shortly preceding the Churchill speech with
> "blood, toil, tears, and sweat" in an article reprinted from _Windsor
> Magazine_ of London, by Lady Tegart:
>
> -----
> "In the Holy Land"
> The Living Age", May 1939, p. 255
> But it [the British mandate in Palestine] has been built on a foundation
> of blood, sweat and tears.

Fascinating.
> -----
>
> So if "b, s & t" had been floating around before Churchill made his
> speech, then it would make sense if Churchill's quote was modified as it
> circulated to correspond with a preexisting expression.

Yes... I don't find any mention of "blood sweat and tears" in Making of
America, though.

--
Best -- Donna Richoux
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Blood and treasure
    ... Putnam's is marking time on the new Winston Churchill book. ... The publishers have not had approval from the British Prime Minister on their proposed title of "Blood, Sweat and Tears. ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • Re: Blood and treasure
    ... This makes me wonder if Churchill wrote the line "blood, ... was titled "'Bloor, Toil, Tears and Sweat': ...
    (alt.usage.english)
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  • Re: Jazzis Web Shop News 10/2006
    ... It is the Blood, Sweat & Tears Weekend apparently;) with the reissues ... 5th album by US Jazz-Rock icons, which marks the departure of lead ...
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  • Re: Jazzis Web Shop News 10/2006
    ... It is the Blood, Sweat & Tears Weekend apparently;) with the reissues ... 5th album by US Jazz-Rock icons, which marks the departure of lead ...
    (rec.music.bluenote)