Folklore: Author of this quote?

Subject: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: jacqui.c
Date: 30 Apr 07 - 11:13 AM

The British Isles is made up of four nations

The Scots, who keep the Sabbath and everything else they can lay their hands on.

The Welsh, who pray on their knees and their neighbours

The Irish, who do not know what the devil they want, but are willing to fight anyone for it

And the English, who consider themselves to be a race of self-made men – thereby relieving the Almighty of a terrible responsibility


I've googled and have seen it noted as George Bernard Shaw and anonymous. The person who originally gave it to me reckoned it was the Bishop of Bath and Wells.

Any other ideas?

Subject: RE: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: Wolfhound person
Date: 30 Apr 07 - 02:13 PM

I knew it as:

The Welsh, who pray on their knees on Sundays and their neighbours the rest of the week

The Irish, who do not know what they want, but are willing to fight anyone to the death for it

The other two are the same. I don't who made it, but I heard it on a radio programme many moons ago....

Paws

Subject: RE: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: MMario
Date: 30 Apr 07 - 02:17 PM

and once again, Cornwall and the Cornish men are neglected and ignored. It really isn't fair, you know.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: GUEST
Date: 04 May 20 - 01:19 PM

Given what the English have done to the other 3 races, perhaps keeping a low profile is the best option.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 04 May 20 - 01:37 PM

.... and who was it that said that the Irish are only the Welsh who can’t swim?

Subject: RE: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 04 May 20 - 01:38 PM

The first casualty of the British empire was England, Guest. Subjugation has nothing to do with nationality and everything to do with keeping the "unwashed masses" in check for the benefit of the few.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 04 May 20 - 01:44 PM

http://www.ioba.org/standard/2006/09/addendum/

Look under the bold headline, 'Happy Hits' and give it a read.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: GUEST,Greg F.
Date: 04 May 20 - 01:45 PM

When someone mentioned to him that President Andrew Johnson was a "self-made man" Congressman Thaddeus Stevens of Lancaster, PA remarked "I never thought of it that way, but it does relieve God Almighty of a heavy responsibility!"

Subject: RE: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: GUEST,paperback
Date: 05 May 20 - 08:16 PM

jacqui.c~The British Isles is made up of four nations

Hence the motto: out of many one

Add the four British types, (with some Dutch and Germans thrown in for good measure), into a melting pot.

Simmer in the heat of battle until thoroughly mixed.

Makes one American nation.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 May 20 - 08:44 PM

Probably belongs in the non-music section....

Subject: RE: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: keberoxu
Date: 05 May 20 - 09:57 PM

So, I went googling my merry way about,
and I scared this up in a newspaper archive.

The British love their Bible, beads, and beer.
The Scots keep the Sabbath and everything they can lay their hands on.
The Welsh pray on their knees on the Sabbath, and the other six days of the week, they prey on their neighbour.
And the Irish want something very badly, but they don't know what it is.


Sunday, December 18, 1921
Pittsburgh Daily Post
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

(I'm just reporting this one --
the bit about the British I'm pretty sure I DON'T understand.)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: keberoxu
Date: 05 May 20 - 10:03 PM

I just spotted another iteration.
The bit that was different goes:

The English are a race of self-made men who worship their maker.

Ouch!

and you know how the rest of it goes.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 06 May 20 - 04:53 AM

Subject: RE: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: GUEST,paperback - PM
Date: 05 May 20 - 08:16 PM

jacqui.c~The British Isles is made up of four nations
Hence the motto: out of many one

Strange, I could have sworn that was the motto of the USA, not UK: "E pluribus unum" (Out of many, one)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 06 May 20 - 07:09 AM

The reason the Cornish are not mentioned is that when the quote came about Cornwall was considered by the rest of England (biased words, I know) to be just another county and not the Kingdom it had been prior to Alfred the Great. There are other counties that could claim to have been Kingdoms at the same time but there is no such sense of separateness as has grown in Cornwall over the last few years. This may be due to the lack of a separate language or the fact that few English counties are out on the edge like Cornwall.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Author of this quote?
From: Mr Red
Date: 06 May 20 - 05:01 PM

Isn't Cornwall a Duchy? And their Parliament called the Stannory (tin miners confab)