fwinw, here's my original thought on the phrase:
Does not the concept predate this particular usage? I thought it was a commonplace amongst the classically-rooted English writers of the 17th century. For an example of the underlying concept if not the specific phrase, I’ve previously come across a reference by Robert Burton, dated 1621, as follows:
"To say the best of this profession, I can give no other testimony of them in general, than that of Pliny of Isaeus: 'He is yet a scholar, than which kind of men there is nothing so simple, so sincere, none better;' they are most part harmless, honest, upright, innocent, plain-dealing men."
Info on Burton fwiw:
http://14.1911encyclopedia.org/B/BU/BURTON_ROBERT.htmIn a similar vein Izaak Walton wrote to his son at Oxford about a dream he had of “five townsmen and poor scholars” robbing the University – the apposition of ‘townsman’ and ‘gentleman’ is tacit. Andrew Lang in his ‘Introduction to the Compleat Angler’ has also remarked that Walton’s famous work leans on the earlier ‘A Treatise of the Nature of God’ (London, 1599). The Treatise starts with a conversation between a gentleman and a scholar:
Gent. Well overtaken, sir!
Scholar. You are welcome, gentleman.
(Andrew Lang’s work can be found on the Guttenberg resource, Etext #2422)
OP
