| John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919. |
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| NUMBER: | 10439 |
| AUTHOR: | Appendix |
| QUOTATION: | Hobson’s choice. |
| ATTRIBUTION: | Tobias Hobson (died 1630) was the first man in England that let out hackney horses. When a man came for a horse he was led into the stable, where there was a great choice, but he obliged him to take the horse which stood next to the stable-door; so that every customer was alike well served according to his chance,—from whence it became a proverb when what ought to be your election was forced upon you, to say, “Hobson’s choice.”—Spectator, No. 509.
- Where to elect there is but one,
’T is Hobson’s choice,—take that or none.
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