“On meurt deux Source fois, je le vois bien : > > Cesser d’aimer & d’être aimable, > > C’est une mort insupportable : > > Cesser de vivre, ce n’est rien.”
Scholars and writers have shared a specific piece of advice for centuries. It is simple yet profound. You must always verify your sources. This golden rule of research safeguards the truth. However, a delicious irony exists within this history. People often quote the advice itself without verifying its true origin. Consequently, many attribute the saying to the wrong people.
We often hear stories of a young student approaching an old master. The student asks for a single guiding principle. Then, the professor replies with three famous words. Sometimes they say, “Verify your quotations.” At other times, they say, “Verify your references.” Indeed, the phrasing shifts like sand.
The True Origin Story
Most people credit Winston Churchill with this wisdom. He certainly used the phrase. However, history tells a different story. Research points to a man named Martin Routh. Routh served as the President of Magdalen College, Oxford. He lived a long, scholarly life. Specifically, the legend involves a conversation with John Burgon. Burgon later became a prominent figure in the Anglican Church.
Burgon recorded this interaction in a book published in 1871. The book was titled The Last Twelve Verses of the Gospel According to S. Mark. According to Burgon, he asked Routh for advice. Routh responded with specific guidance. He told Burgon to “always verify your references.” This meeting supposedly happened in 1847. Therefore, a significant gap exists between the conversation and the publication.
Memory is a tricky thing. Burgon waited over twenty years to write down the story. Consequently, we must wonder about the accuracy of the quote. Did Routh say “references”? Or did he say “quotations”? The sentiment remains clear, but the exact words might have drifted.
Tracing the Timeline
We can look further back than Burgon’s 1871 account. Source In fact, similar advice appeared in print decades earlier. This proves the concept was already circulating in academic circles. For example, a book review appeared in The Methodist Quarterly Review in 1850. The reviewer, G. W. Peck, offered a rule for scholars. He suggested they should verify quotations whenever possible.
Later, in 1861, Thomas H. Candy published a work called The Antidote. He explicitly linked the maxim to Dr. Routh. Candy claimed Routh impressed the rule “Verify quotations” upon a friend. This publication predates Burgon’s account by ten years. Thus, it strengthens the link to Routh. However, it uses the word “quotations” instead of “references.”
Newspapers also played a role. In 1867, The Taunton Courier printed a letter from a writer named Pelicanus. This writer told a more elaborate version of the tale. He described an admirer asking Routh for a life motto. Routh supposedly compressed his life’s experience into that single sentence. Clearly, the story was becoming a legend.
The Evolution of the Phrase
The saying continued to mutate. In August 1867, a columnist for The Illustrated London News discussed the topic. He did not name a specific author. Instead, he simply recalled his own education. Teachers had taught him to rely on primary evidence. Furthermore, they insisted he verify quotations rather than trusting the quoter. This shows the advice had become general knowledge.
By 1871, the floodgates opened. Multiple versions appeared in print that year. Julian Charles Young published a memoir. He claimed Routh used the phrase “verify citations.” This adds yet another variation to the mix. Meanwhile, a magazine called London Society misquoted Young’s book. They changed “citations” back to “quotations.” Even the people writing about the quote could not keep it straight. This perfectly illustrates why the advice is necessary.
Whimsical Additions and Misattributions
The story eventually took on a humorous edge. In September 1871, Baily’s Magazine of Sports and Pastimes added a domestic twist. They described a student leaving college. The professor offered two pieces of advice. First, verify your quotations. Second, wind up your watch in the morning. This addition grounds the intellectual advice in daily routine.
Eventually, famous names began to eclipse the obscure academics. In 1873, The Spectator suggested Routh gave the advice to Lord Derby. This shift in attribution gave the story more star power. Later, in 1897, the Earl of Rosebery gave a speech. He credited an “aged sage” with the combined advice about watches and quotations.
Soon, people began crediting Rosebery himself. By 1913, a politician named William Nicholas Willis attributed the saying to Lord Rosebery. He claimed Rosebery told people to wind their watches and verify their quotes. The origin point was moving further away from Martin Routh. The telephone game of history was in full effect.
Churchill and Modern Usage
Winston Churchill finally cemented the quote in the modern consciousness. He wrote The Hinge of Fate in 1950. In this book, he recalled a professor giving final counsel. Churchill quoted the man as saying, “Verify your quotations.” He did not name Routh. He did not name Burgon. Consequently, many modern readers assume the thought originated with Churchill.
Language evolves alongside culture. In the mid-20th century, writers began using the word “check.” Hugh Nicol wrote The Limits of Man in 1967. He advised readers to “always check your references.” This sounds more casual. It fits the modern ear better than “verify.” Later, in 1987, a writing handbook by Lynn Quitman Troyka expanded the rule. She told writers to check quotations against originals and then recheck. This emphasizes the need for double-checking.
The Verdict on Verification
Who actually said it? The evidence heavily favors Martin Routh. He likely delivered the advice to John Burgon around 1847. However, we cannot be 100% sure of the exact wording. Burgon wrote it down years later. He admitted his memory wasn’t perfect. He recalled the “archness” of Routh’s manner better than the specific syllables.
Nevertheless, the lesson stands. We must check our sources. If we don’t, we end up attributing Martin Routh’s wisdom to Winston Churchill. We might quote a version that never existed. Errors creep in easily. They multiply when we fail to look at the original text. Therefore, you should take this history as a warning.
In conclusion, the irony of this story is its greatest strength. The history of the quote proves the necessity of the quote. Facts degrade over time. Authors change words. Memories fade. Thus, the only defense against error is vigilance. Go to the library. Open the original book. Verify your quotations.