I saw a bumper sticker just now while on my way back to the office. It read:
There they go!
I must hurry after them,
for I am their leader.
I thought it was the funniest thing I’d seen in ages. It occurred to me to wonder if this was a line from a movie or some other pop culture reference (among the other gazillions) that I’d missed.
Anyone know?
Alexandre Ledru-Rollin, 1848
Or Winnie The Pooh, I can never remember.
Ah, I see. The French army in full retreat, is it?
French “leader” watching a mob of The Peoples from his window. Evidently it was uttered more as a reluctant sigh than a battle cry. As I understand it, his popularity waned considerably thence.
My dad used to have a t-shirt that paraphrased that.
It was a cartoon of a the back of a guy chasing a mob, and it said “I must hurry and catch up to the others, for I am their leader”
In enterprise of martial kind,
When there was any fighting,
He led his regiment from behind —
He found it less exciting.
But when away his regiment ran,
His place was at the fore, O —
That celebrated,
Cultivated,
Underrated
Nobleman,
The Duke of Plaza-Toro!
From The Gondoliers, by Gilbert and Sullivan
I love that bumper sticker! Googled for it but to no avail. Anyone have a link?
17th from the bottom
Thanks.
Another version I’ve seen:
It possibly was only apocryphal, but it was attributed to Ledru-Rollin in 1857 as
I believe that is Robespierre, c. 1789.
“I must see which way the crowd is headed, for I am their leader.”
Not sure if you were serious. When is this first attributed to him?