[mananaysiempre]

The observation is slightly older than Nolan:

  So, Nat'ralists observe, a Flea
  Hath smaller Fleas that on him prey,
  And these have smaller yet to bite 'em,
  And so proceed ad infinitum.

Swift, “On Poetry” (1733), https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Works_of_the_Rev._Jonatha...