I'm trying to find the source of a quote.

From the Rex Stout Nero Wolfe book "Too Many Cooks" comes the following: "My heart was all I had and now that's gone, I should have put my bloody blinders on."

I'd like to know if this is an original Rex Stout quote or if the character who said it was repeating part of a poem or song etc. "Too Many Cooks" was published in 1938 so if it's from another source it's at least that old.

Thanks for any help or info you might have.

sar