“You can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.” It’s a good quote. Most of us attribute that saying to Abraham Lincoln. Even historians.
However, this quote is not found in any of the writings of Abraham Lincoln. It is likewise not found in any of the newspaper articles around Abraham Lincoln’s time. This particular saying did not even come to be known until about 50 years after Abe was supposed to have said it.
When you get a chance to visit Jefferson’s home at Monticello, be sure you make the most of it. The home is just chock full of the most interesting items, collections, and inventions. But not only that, Thomas has given space to many of those he deemed to be great individuals.
Washington learned in his youth to do what is right according to character traits. One of the ways he learned was by practicing good penmanship while writing over and over again “The Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation” as they were dictated to him by his tutor.
One of the interesting stories in history is that about the Nobel Peace Prize. I know our politicians are envious and some are determined to win this prize. It has been awarded to our current President. But few know the background about Alfred Nobel who started the process. Mr. Nobel was a Swedish chemist and the inventor of dynamite. As such he made a fortune in mining, construction and warfare. I wonder how this invention could have changed the Revolutionary War if it had been discovered sooner!
I have it on good authority that there was actually a Vice Presidential debate this evening between the candidates for the office. I’m sorry, I couldn’t bring myself to watch it. It seems to me that there is little to be learned from two men who tell lies for fun and profit—for themselves. It seems to me that few politicians are really in it for the citizens anymore.
Benjamin Franklin, besides being an inventor, printer, and scientist, was an amateur agriculturist. He came to the rescue. He was a diplomat to France and was an honored guest at many a French dinner. Franklin came to one event where this particular French farmer had cooked up a meal with many different potato dishes. Indeed, every course of the meal had been made with pureed or otherwise prepared tuber dishes!
I told you a little about Patrick Henry’s retirement home, Red Hill, in Western Virginia, in my last blog. If you remember, Henry was married twice and had 17 children. Yes, some had grown and moved away, but several still lived with him at Red Hill. I don’t know precisely how many. Some may have returned with their own children.