 In keeping with the Victorian-era origin of the phrase, it is sometimes anecdotally associated with Albert, Prince Consort.An early reference to Sir Walter Scott as the "great Scott" is found in a poem entitled "The Wars of Bathurst 1830" published in "The Sydney Monitor" on 27 October 1830 (i.e.still during Scott's lifetime); the pertinent line reading "Unlike great Scott, who fell at Waterloo", in reference to Scott's poorly-received "The Field of Waterloo"

An explicit connection of Sir Walter Scott's name with the by-then familiar exclamation is found in a poem published 15 August 1871, on the centenary anniversary of Scott's birth