the internet is trying to tell me that both "patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings" and "steal a little and they throw you in jail. Steal a lot and then they make you king." are both originally from the bob dylan song "a sweetheart like you" but I'm sure they're both older than that. Anyone got any ideas?

alright, samuel johnson said " patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel" but the "steal a little" quote I'm still in the dark on

Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. April 7, 1775, p. 253, Life of Samuel Johnson (1791), Vol. II

Boswell's full mention of this statement reads:

Patriotism having become one of our topicks, Johnson suddenly uttered, in a strong determined tone, an apophthegm, at which many will start: "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel." But let it be considered, that he did not mean a real and generous love of our country, but that pretended patriotism which so many, in all ages and countries, have made a cloak of self-interest.

The Dylan quote is from the song: "Sweetheart Like You" from the Shot of Love album,
singer-songwriter Bob Dylan's 21st studio album, released by Columbia Records in August 1981.

so the steal a little steal a lot thing really is bob dylan? wow, it sounds so much older. You sure about this?

Technically, the line is close to one in the Eugene O'Neil play, "The Emperor Jones," which opened in NYC in 2009. It was written around 1920. Perhaps Dylan borrowed the line and made it his.

Brutus explains to Smithers, "Dere's little stealin' like you does, and dere's big stealin' like I does. For de little stealin' dey gits you in jail soon or late. For de big stealin' dey makes you Emperor and puts you in de Hall o' Fame when you croaks. (reminiscently) If dey's one thing I learns in ten years on de Pullman ca's listenin' to de white quality talk, it's dat same fact. And when I gits a chance to use it I winds up Emperor in two years."