Fantastic John, you are of course correct. The quotation is from ‘Three men in a boat’ by Jerome K Jerome, a comic writer of the 19th century.
The book was first published in 1889.

For a bonus point can you tell me the name of the dog who accompanied the gents on their trip up the Thames.

Congratulations – well done!!

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Well done – a great idea and a lot of fun.

I’m saying it’s right up my street only because I happen to know the answer to this partickler question (!) – but I’m well aware that P comes before a F so I will doubtless be left ploundering as far as suture literary brain-teasers are concerned!

However, as regards this one, it is the style of writing as much as the actual content which enabled me to identify both the author and the book which I had so enjoyed reading at school and which had stimulated my love of humorous literature. My Father was always quoting his favourite sayings – “I like work; it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours” – one of Jerome K Jerome’s classic quotes, of course. I remember laughing art lard at the book – and also enjoying the Film “Three Men in a Boat” starring the unlikely trio of Laurence Harvey, David Tomlinson and Jimmy “Whacko” Edwards! So that’s two of your three questions answered – but as for the date of publication, beyond remembering that the book had been published before the end of the 19th Century, I don’t know the exact date, so will plump for 1899 as an ignorant guess??!
I assume your next question will be on “Three Men on the Bummel”?

Thanks for keeping ze leetle grey cells in working order!

Must dash – gorra Zoom meeting tarting in 10!

Keep ‘em cumming!

Luv

John
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