Google book advanced search is my way of checking when words and phrases became into common usage. Background: my husband and I have been rewatching the Sharpe movies. Today, a phrase bothered my husband (he does know his military history and now can put years on the Sharpe episodes.) The phrase shooting blanks bothered him; when I looked it up, it turns out it didn’t appear before 1850 and only appeared in the cartridge context four times from 1850-1900. Me? I’m searching for an older reference for the phrase that the Rose is the Queen of Flowers. Forget the attribute to the poetess Sappho; it’s not there; the earliest I can find it is in Queen Elizabeth I’s order of investiture. I look forward to letting your series take me back in time. Ann Peck