Notes: Episode 139, History Myths

As with every show, I’ll list any corrections or clarifications here. If there’s anything I’ve overlooked, please contact me by email or in the comments and I’ll edit the notes to reflect the new information.

50:44 – I mention that Newton got the phrase “if I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants” (a reference to his work being cumulative in nature) from elsewhere. The phrase has been around since at least the 12th century, when it was used by Bernard of Chartres to refer to medieval scholarly work owing a debt to classical works. While I couldn’t find any direct evidence that Newton was quoting another use of the concept, as a young man at an elite university, it’s quite likely he’d come across it.

1:03:46 – I said that the 1870s and 1880s had the slimmest waistlines of the Victorian era for women’s fashion. That’s not quite as airtight as I made it sound – basically any period between the 1830s and 1890s heavily emphasized a small waist. The 1870s did a bit more to accentuate the contrast between a small waist and wide skirts than other decades in my opinion, but fashion isn’t as clear-cut as that statement made it out to be.

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