“Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.”

THE FAMOUS PENCE AND POUNDS QUOTE: “Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves.”         William Lowndes (1652-1724)        British politician        Quoted by Lord Chesterfield (Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield) in a letter to his son, dated Feb. 5, 1750

DOROTHY PARKER’S COUNTERQUOTE: “Take care of the luxuries and the necessities will take care of themselves.”         Dorothy Parker (1893-1967)        American writer and critic        A quip widely attributed to Parker, though possibly originated by Oscar Wilde

NOEL COWARD’S PANSY ANECDOTE: “Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound brought his boat in...and Noel [Coward] and friends — Doris Casterlosse, Ivor Novello, Douglas Fairbanks and Lady Ashley — went aboard for parties. Lady Casterlosse and Coward were given an open guest list by Sir Dudley and Lady Pound for one party. Casterlosse confided, ‘Noel, I have a dreadful feeling we've asked too many queer people.’ Coward reassured her, ‘If we take care of the pansies, the Pounds will take care of themselves.’”        Noel Coward (1899-1973)        British playwright and composer         From Philip Hoare’s book Noël Coward: A Biography (1998)

AN AVID GARDENER’S ADVICE: “If you take care of your peonies, the dahlias will look after themselves.”         Franklin P. Adams (1881-1960)         American writer and avid gardener         Adams’ variously-reported response when asked how he grew the prize dahlias in his garden. (The pun was probably already in use among avid gardeners.)

HARLAN ELLISON’S ADVICE: “A very few, as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men, serve the state with their consciences also, and so necessarily resist it for the most part; and they are commonly treated as enemies by it. That is the heart of it. Now begin in the middle, and later learn the beginning; the end will take care of itself.”          Harlan Ellison (b. 1943)         American author and screenwriter        In his famous, non-linear science fiction story, “Repent, Harlequin!” Said the Ticktockman (1965)

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