I was in a bookstore earlier today and read this little gem in the book
" Words and Phrases Origins" (No, I didn't buy the book, I am too
cheap.)
(I couldn't copy down the exact words so this is only a rough
reproduction .)
Clare Booth(e) Brokaw who later became Clare Booth(e) Luce(note 1) , joined the staff of Vanity Fair (magazine) in the
early 1930s . One day she met Dorothy Parker in the lobby.
Clare opened the door to let Dorothy in first and said ,"Age before beauty". To this,
the sharper-tongued and quick witted Dorothy immediately replied "Pearl(s) before swine(s)".
Note 1: She was married to Time Magazine founder Henry Luce.
picture of Clare Booth Luce with Soong Meiling:
http://www.sentex.net/~echilton/meiling.htm
Picture of Dorothy Parker and some examples of her witty remarks
http://users.rcn.com/lyndanyc/dorothy.html