Correspondence on not-so-famous lost words

Correspondence on not-so-famous lost words

Taylor Chiu seeks a citation for words attributed to Jane Austen: “Teach us that we may feel the importance of every hour, every minute, as it passes.”

Eliot Kieval, intrigued by the famous assertion “I disapprove of [sometimes, disagree with] what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it,” frequently attributed to Voltaire, is eager to learn of any similar declarations, in any language, that predate the 1906 publication of The Friends of Voltaire, by “Stephen G. Tallentyre” (the pen name of English writer Evelyn Beatrice Hall). The quotation is reported to be Hall’s paraphrase of Voltaire’s attitude; Fred R. Shapiro, editor of The Yale Book of Quotations, writes in that volume that the quotation “does not appear…in Voltaire’s writings.”

“Together” (July-August). Carmen Munnelly recognized Ludwig Lewisohn’s poem “Together,” which begins, “You and I by this lamp with these/few books shut out the world…” and ends, “And this is marriage, this is love.” Jo Salas cited Grace Paley’s “Hand-Me-Downs,” from Begin Again: Collected Poems, for its similar theme.

Send inquiries and answers to “Chapter and Verse,” Harvard Magazine, 7 Ware Street, Cambridge 02138, or via e-mail to chapterandverse@harvardmag.com.

You might also like

Rachel Ruysch’s Lush (Still) Life

Now on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, a Dutch painter’s art proved a treasure trove for scientists.

Concerts and Carols at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Tuning into one of Boston's best chamber music halls 

A (Truly) Naked Take on Second-Wave Feminism

Playwright Bess Wohl’s Liberation opens on Broadway.

Most popular

What Trump Means for John Roberts's Legacy

Executive power is on the docket at the Supreme Court.

Harvard’s Endowment, Donations Rise—but the University Runs a Deficit

The annual financial report signals severe challenges to come.

How MAGA Went Mainstream at Harvard

Trump, TikTok, and the pandemic are reshaping Gen Z politics.

Explore More From Current Issue

Aerial view of a landscaped area with trees and seating, surrounded by buildings and parking.

Landscape Architect Julie Bargmann Transforming Forgotten Urban Sites

Julie Bargmann and her D.I.R.T. Studio give new life to abandoned mines, car plants, and more.

Wolfram Schlenker wearing a suit sitting outdoors, smiling, with trees and a building in the background.

Harvard Economist Wolfram Schlenker Is Tackling Climate Change

How extreme heat affects our land—and our food supply 

Professor David Liu smiles while sitting at a desk with colorful lanterns and a figurine in the background.

This Harvard Scientist Is Changing the Future of Genetic Diseases

David Liu has pioneered breakthroughs in gene editing, creating new therapies that may lead to cures.