Theodor Seuss Geisel? Ludwig Jacobowski? Christopher Roche? Gabriel García Márquez? Anonymous? Show Dear Quote Investigator: If you have ever been part of a group with camaraderie that accomplished some worthwhile goal then you know about the sadness experienced when the group finally dissolved. Here are two versions of a saying that offers consolation:
These words have been attributed to Theodor Geisel who was better known as Dr. Seuss, the famous author of children’s literature; however, I have been unable to locate a good citation. Would you please help? Quote Investigator: QI and other researchers have been unable to locate any substantive evidence that Dr. Seuss employed this saying. He died in 1991, and it was assigned to him by 2002. The earliest close match located by QI appeared in a work by the German poet Ludwig Jacobowski titled “Leuchtende Tage” published in the August 1899 issue of a literary journal. The title could be rendered as “Bright Days” or “Radiant Days”. One verse rhapsodized about the bright days of the past, and the next verse began with these two lines, Boldface has been added to excerpts:
The journal was called “Das Magazin für Litteratur”,[1]August 1899, Das Magazin für Litteratur, Article: Ludwig Jacobowskis “Leuchtende Tage” by Rudolf Steiner, Start Column 745, Quote Column 747, Published by Siegfried Cronbach, Berlin, … Continue reading and the piece was also published in a 1901 analytical work about the poet titled “Ludwig Jacobowski: Ein modernes Dichterbild”. These were the two full verses:[2] 1901, Ludwig Jacobowski: Ein modernes Dichterbild by Professor Dr. Hermann Friedrich, Quote Page 65, Published by Siegfried Cronbach, Berlin, Germany. (Google Books Full View) link
Special thanks to top researcher Barry Popik who first identified German instances of the expression and performed pioneering research. Here are additional selected citations in chronological order. In 1988 “The Age” newspaper in Australia published a short death notice that included a variant of the saying aimed at the bereaved:[3] 1988 November 29, The Age, Section: Personal Announcements: Deaths, (Death of Marguerite Smith), Quote Page 48, Column 7, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. (Newspapers_com)
In July 1996 a message posted to the Usenet newsgroup called rec.humor contained seventeen miscellaneous one-line sayings. One statement presented an exact match, but no attribution was listed. Here were four of the lines:[4] 1996 July 31, Usenet discussion message, Newsgroup: rec.humor, From: Dieter Zasche E1 @ipp-garching.mpg.de, Subject: Re: need some quotes!, (Google Groups Search; Accessed July 26, 2016) link
In June 1998 an instance appeared in a graduation speech delivered by valedictorian Christopher Roche at Albertus Magnus High School. The “Rockland Journal-News” of Rockland County, New York reported the final remarks of the address:[5]1998 June 6, Rockland Journal-News (The Journal News), Albertus graduates advised to embrace future challenges by S. Jade Wolfe (Rockland Journal-News), Quote Page 6A, Column 2, White Plains, New … Continue reading
The journalist closely linked the words to Dr. Seuss, and it was possible that some readers misinterpreted the article and ascribed the statements directly to the well-known writer. It was true that the book “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” could have been condensed to yield: “Today is our day. We’re off to great places, so let’s be on our way”. But the quotation under examination: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened,” did not occur in the book, and did not really fit as a paraphrase. The graduation speaker might have intended this expression to stand separately. In October 1998 a newspaper in Delaware published a story about a local coffee shop called “Brewed Awakenings” in Newark that maintained a community diary in the form of a hardcover book with inviting blank pages. Habitués of the establishment wrote poetry, advice, and miscellaneous musings. The instance of the saying was anonymous:[6] 1998 October 5, The News Journal, Blank pages inspire restroom philosophers by Laura Ungar (Staff Reporter), Quote Page E1, Column 3, Wilmington, Delaware. (Newspapers_com)
In June 1999 a newspaper in Massachusetts reported on a high school graduation in Gardner during which the saying was employed without ascription:[7]1999 June 6, Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Section: LOCAL NEWS, Endings and Beginnings \ Gardner High School Graduates Enter the Future with Confidence, Byline: David T. Turcotte Quote Page B1, … Continue reading
Also in June 1999 a variant was spoken without attribution during the graduation held at Belchertown High School in Massachusetts:[8]1999 June 7, Daily Hampshire Gazette, Belchertown graduates 109, Quote Page B5, Northampton, Massachusetts. (The rock group name “Lynyrd Skynyrd” was misspelled as “Lynerd … Continue reading
In February 2002 a student named Olivia Sandham was profiled in the “Rocky Mountain News” of Denver Colorado. She offered a nugget of wisdom that was ascribed to Dr. Seuss:[9]2002 February 19, Rocky Mountain News, Section: Lifestyles/Spotlight, Article: Bowler Scores in Classroom, Too Byline: Mark Wolf News Staff Writer Quote Page 6D, Denver, Colorado. (NewsBank Access … Continue reading
The Wikiquote website has a webpage for “Dr. Seuss” which lists the quotation in a section called “Disputed” and notes the existence of an unlikely ascription to a Nobel Prize Winning Colombian novelist:[10] Website: Wikiquote, Entry title: Dr. Seuss, Section: Disputed, Website description: Information about quotations. (Accessed en.wikiquote.org on July 25, 2016) link
In conclusion, based on current evidence QI believes that Ludwig Jacobowski should be credited with coining this saying in German. There was no substantive support for assigning the statement to Dr. Seuss or Gabriel García Márquez. The linkage to Seuss was present in the June 1998 citation, and the error may have been facilitated by this connection. (Great thanks to Saskia Sen whose inquiry led QI to formulate this question and perform this exploration. Thanks also to Barry Popik for his valuable work on this topic. Special thanks to Amy West for help understanding the German citations. All errors are the responsibility of QI.) Updated History: On July 26, 2016 citations dated 1899, 1901, 1988, and 1996 were added; the conclusion and some other parts of the article were rewritten. Where does don't cry because it's over smile because it happened come from?"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Dr Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel, 1904-1991), author and illustrator of children's books including The Cat in the Hat.
Who said Don't cry it's over smile because it happened?Smile because it happened. – Dr. Seuss.
Did Dr Seuss say don't cry because it's over smile because it happened?Seuss Quotes. Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.
What is Dr Seuss most famous quote?Inspirational Dr.. “Oh the thinks you can think!”. “You'll be on your way up! ... . “With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.”. “Today I shall behave as if this is the day I will be remembered.”. “You're off to great places! ... . “Today you are you!. |