Gelett Burgess

thumb|Burgess circa 1910 Frank Gelett Burgess (January 30, 1866 – September 18, 1951) was an American artist, art critic, poet, author and humourist. He is credited with coining the word blurb, a short promotional statement about a piece of creative work, and bromide, a trite or unoriginal phrase intended to soothe or placate, or the boring person who utters those phrases. Quotes To appreciate nonsense requires a serious interest in life. From the essay The Sense of Humor first published in The Romance of the Commonplace (1902). there are no roads in all Bohemia ! From the essay Where is Bohemia? in The Romance of the Commonplace (1902). A woman and a mouse, they carry a tale wherever they go. Gelett Burgess, The Maxims of Methuselah (1907). thumb|right|The Purple Cow thumb|Publicity for 1909 Burgess book, expanding his 1906 essay of the same name The Purple Cow (1895) I never saw a purple cow,I never hope to see one;But I can tell you, anyhow,I'd rather see than be one! Confession (1897) Ah, yes, I wrote the "Purple Cow"—I'm Sorry, now, I wrote it;But I can tell you AnyhowI'll Kill you if you Quote it! Poem Confession: and a Portrait Too, Upon a Background that I Rue (1897) Reacting to the many parodies of his poem. Are You A Bromide? (1906) I don't know much about Art, but I know what I like. (p. 24) She doesn't look a day over fifty. (p. 24) You'll feel differently about these things when you're married. (p. 25) It isn't so much the heat... as the humidity. (p. 28) You're a sight for sore eyes. (p. 29) External links Open source e-book: "Are You a Bromide?, or, The sulphitic theory expounded and exemplified according to the most recent researches into the psychology of boredom: including many well-known bromidioms now in use" (1909), California Digital Library category:1866 births category:1951 deaths category:Artists from the United States Category:Art critics category:Humorists from the United States Category:Poets from Boston