Billings, Josh -- Josh Billings, Hiz Sayings, ch. 11 “Affurisms” (1865)

Dave — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 15:04:26 +0000

Sum people hav the power ov saing a good deal in a fu words, while others hav the power ov saing a little in a good menny wurds.

[Some people have the power of saying a good deal in a few words, while others have the power of saying a little in a good many words.]

Josh Billings (1818–1885) American humorist, aphorist [pseud. of Henry Wheeler Shaw]
Josh Billings, Hiz Sayings, ch. 11 “Affurisms” (1865)

This may be the source of these variants:

"I don't care how much a man talks, if he only says it in a few words."
"I don't care how much a man talks, if he says it in a few words."
"I don't care how much a man talks , so he sez it in a few words."

When cited, these are usually referred to Hiz Sayings, but I can neither find them there or in other primary sources (even with variant spellings).

WIST Quotations

Billings, Josh -- Josh Billings, Hiz Sayings, ch. 11 “Affurisms” (1865)