John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.
4886 Arthur Wellesley
| NUMBER: | 4886 |
| AUTHOR: | Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington (1769–1852) |
| QUOTATION: | I never saw so many shocking bad hats in my life. 1 |
| ATTRIBUTION: | Upon seeing the first Reformed Parliament. |
| Note 1. Sir William Fraser, in “Words on Wellington” (1889), p. 12, says this phrase originated with the Duke. Captain Gronow, in his “Recollections,” says it originated with the Duke of York, second son of George III., about 1817. [back] |