hell in a handbasket

[ma...@ecn.ab.ca]

You've heard it said so often: we're going to hell in a handbasket (or
handcart).

Anybody any idea where this originated? Thanks.

--
email: ma...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca

[Sam Hobbs]

<ma...@ecn.ab.ca> wrote in message news:378b2...@ecn.ab.ca...

the alt.usage.english faq has the following article (hope this helps -- as
in so many cases, the answer is not definitive in that the real origin may
not be known for sure):

The aue faq is located at:
http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/alt-usage-english-faq/faq
.html

"go to hell in a handbasket"
----------------------------

This phrase, meaning "to deteriorate rapidly", originated in the
U.S. in the early 20th century. A handbasket is just a basket with
a handle. Something carried in a handbasket goes wherever it's going
without much resistance.

James L. Rader of Merriam-Webster Editorial Dept. writes: "The
Dictionary of American Regional English [...] records 'to go to
heaven in a handbasket' much earlier than [...] 'hell,' which is not
attested before the 1950s. The earliest cite in our files is from
1949 [...]. 'In a handbasket' seems to imply ease and and speed
[...]. Perhaps part of the success of these phrases must simply be
ascribed to the force of alliteration. DARE has a much earlier
citation for another alliterative collocation with 'handbasket'
(1714), from Samuel Sewall's diary: 'A committee brought in
something about Piscataqua. Govr said he would give his head in a
Handbasket as soon as he would pass it.' I suspect that 'to go to
hell in a handbasket' has been around much longer than our records
would seem to indicate."

[ma...@ecn.ab.ca]

Does anyone know where this expression came from: we're going to hell in a
handbasket (handcart?)?

--
email: ma...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca

[Jenn]

I'm sorry - don't know the orgin of this expression. but thought I'd share this
quote...

Where am I going? And why am I in this handbasket?-from the book The
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

>Does anyone know where this expression came from: we're going to hell in a
>handbasket (handcart?)?
>

Regards, Jenn
http://members.aol.com/jeneve23/enter.html
- - - - -
Solitude is a hard won ally, faithful and patient - Henry Rollins