Earlier quoted context omitted.
> In the first place ( incidentally a phrase that originates in mnemonics) [...] Do you have a source for that or is it a gut feeling? In a quick Google search I couldn't find anything about the history of this idiom.
Here is a discussion: https://artofmemory.com/blog/first-place-second-place-5806.h... .
Thank you! I will read through that later. Sorry for the late response, I didn't see your reply until just now.