Judge Not a Man By His Clothing

DESCRIPTION: "Judge not a man by the cost of his clothing Unheeding the life-path that he may pursue"; you may admire bad people and ignore those who deserve honor. Instead, judge by work and deeds "and we'll honor the man whatever he wears."
AUTHOR: John Bedford Leno (1826-1894) (source: Wikipedia)
EARLIEST DATE: 1855 (Bell's Life in Sydney, and Sporting Reviewer, September 15, 1855; Launceston Times, October 13, 1855)
KEYWORDS: work clothes | judgment
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (2 citations):
HarryRichmondsMyYoungWifeAndISongster, pp. 61-62, "Judge Not a Man By His Clothing" (1 text)
Wolf-AmericanSongSheets, #1164, p. 80, "Judge Not a Man by the Cost of His Clothing" (2 references)
Roud #V9466
BROADSIDES:
NLScotland, L.C.Fol.70(125a),, "Judge Not a Man by His Clothing," Poet's Box (Glasgow?), 1870
NOTES [107 words]: Although this song does not at present have a proper Roud number, it does appear to have been collected in the field once, from Mary Ann Gallagher of Beaver Island, Michigan; I am indexing it on that basis.
It is interesting that there are two copies in Australian newspapers from 1855, before it seems to have been noticed anywhere else. Wikipedia considers this to be on of Leno's two most notable songs, the other being "The Song of the Spade" (Roud #24788).
There do not appear to be any verbal parallels between this song and the Bible, but James 2:2-4 warns against making distinctions between well-dressed and ill-clothed people. - RBW
Last updated in version 7.1
File: HRYS061

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