Quote Investigator: QI believes that this comical remark was crafted by neither Twain nor Benchley. The earliest version of the joke located by QI was about writing poetry. It was published in the humor magazine Puck in February 1912 under the title “COULDN’T AFFORD TO THEN”. The generic names SCRIBBLER and FRIEND were used to designate the speakers in a dialog: 1
SCRIBBLER.—It took me nearly ten years to learn that I couldn’t write poetry.FRIEND.—Gave it up then, did you?SCRIBBLER.—Oh, no. By that time I had a reputation.
full article: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2012/10/09/talent-writing/
Glad to see Ed back in red. The calm of the baby blue did not suit his character.