Chapter I: Front Matter

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PROVERB LORE

PROVERB LORE

_MANY SAYINGS, WISE OR OTHERWISE,
ON MANY SUBJECTS, GLEANED
FROM MANY SOURCES_

BY

F. EDWARD HULME, F.S.A.

AUTHOR OF
"WAYSIDE SKETCHES," "MYTHLAND," "NATURAL HISTORY
LORE AND LEGEND," "SYMBOLISM IN ART,"
"WILD FRUITS OF THE COUNTRYSIDE,"
"FAMILIAR WILD FLOWERS," ETC.

LONDON
ELLIOT STOCK, 62 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.
1902

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I
PAGE

Value of Study of Proverbs -- Difficulty of exact Definition
-- Definitions by various Writers -- The Saw -- The Adage --
The Essentials of a Proverb -- The Value of Brevity --
Legitimate Use of Hyperbole -- Proverbs often one-sided Views
of Truth -- Sometimes contradict each other -- Figurativeness
of Language -- A very characteristic Feature -- Parables of
our Lord -- Proverbs often condensed Parables -- Examples
of Word-Pictures -- Commonest Objects supply Lessons --
Interesting as referring to Usages that have passed away --
Some Proverbs enduring, some transient -- May have more than
one Significance -- Some palpable Truisms and Platitudes --
Great Antiquity of Proverbs -- On Jewellery, Pottery,
Furniture, etc. -- Rustic Conservatism -- The Aid of
Alliteration -- Rhyme as an Aid to Memory 1

CHAPTER II

Ancient Collections of Proverbs -- The Proverbs of Solomon --
Ecclesiasticus -- The Work of D'Anvers on Solomon's Proverbs --
The Collections of De Worde, Trevisis, and Lydgate -- The
"Adagia" of Erasmus -- Tavernar's "Garden of Wisdom" --
Heywood's Collection of Proverbs -- Camden's "Remaines" --
Davies, the "Scourge of Folly" -- The "Apophthegms" of Lord
Bacon -- The "Outlandish Proverbs" of G. H. -- Herbert's
"Jacula Prudentum" -- The Work of Howell and Cotgrave -- The
"Gnomologia" of Fuller -- The Difficulties of
Proverb-classification, by Country, by Leading Word, by
Subject, etc. -- Ray's "Collection of English Proverbs" -- The
"Paræmiologia" of Walker -- Palmer on Proverbs -- The Sayings
of "Poor Richard" 26

CHAPTER III

"The Book of Merry Riddles" -- Introduction of Proverbs in our
Literature -- A Surfeit of Proverbs -- "The two Angrie Women of
Abington" -- Fuller on the Misuse of Proverbs -- The Sayings of
Hendyng -- Proverbs in Works of Chaucer, Lydgate, Spenser,
Dryden, Shakespeare, and other Writers -- The "Imitation of
Christ" -- Glitter is not necessarily Gold -- The Cup and the
Lip -- Comparisons odious -- The Rolling-Stone -- The "Vision
of Piers Plowman" -- Guelph and Ghibelline -- Dwellers in Glass
Houses -- A Spade is a Spade -- Chalk and Cheese -- Silence
gives Consent -- A Nine Days' Wonder -- The little Pot soon Hot
-- Weakest to the Wall -- Proverb-Hunting through our old
Literature 65

CHAPTER IV

National Idiosyncrasies -- The Seven Sages of Greece -- Know
Thyself -- The Laconic "If" -- Ancient Greek Proverbs -- Roman
Proverbs -- The Proverbs of Scotland: Strong Vein of Humour in
them -- Spanish and Italian Proverbs -- The Proverbs of France
-- The "Comédie des Proverbes" -- The Proverbs of Spain: their
Popularity and Abundance; Historic Interest: their Bibliography
-- Italian Proverbs: their Characteristics -- The Proverbs of
Germany -- Chinese Adages: their Excellence -- Japanese
Proverbs: their Poetry and Beauty -- Arab Sayings: their
Servility: their Humour -- Eastern Delight in Stories --
African Sayings: their pithy Wisdom -- The Proverb-philosophy
of the Talmud 90

CHAPTER V

Proverbs that are misunderstood -- The Cheese -- Raining Cats
and Dogs -- Cattle-harrying -- The Bitter End -- By Hook or
Crook -- Proverbs of Evil Teaching -- Necessity has no Law --
The Peck of Dirt -- Howl with the Wolves -- Sarcasm in Proverbs
-- The Fool -- Selfishness -- The Praise of Truth -- The Value
of Time -- Death -- The Conduct of Life -- Occupations that
supply Proverbs -- The Barber, Tailor, Cobbler, Physician,
Lawyer, and others -- The Cowl and the Monk -- The Long Bow --
The Meditative Angler -- Sayings associated with particular
Individuals -- Hobson and his Choice -- Plowden's Law --
Mortimer's Sow -- The Wisdom of Doddipol -- The Fear of Mrs
Grundy's Opinion -- Locality Proverbs -- Rustic Humour -- Local
Products -- Tenterden Steeple 124

CHAPTER VI

Proverbs suggested by Animals -- Animal Characteristics:
Sagacity, Fidelity, Cunning, Greed, etc. -- The Horse -- The
Dog -- The Cat: her Nine Lives; the Catspaw; falling on Feet;
in Mittens -- The Ass -- Pearls before Swine -- A Pig in a Poke
-- The Wrong Sow by the Ear -- The Sheep -- The Shorn Lamb --
The Bull -- The Goose -- The Hen -- Roasting Eggs -- The Bird
and her Nest -- Birds of a Feather -- Catching with Chaff --
Roasted Larks -- The Fox -- The Wolf; in Sheep's Clothing --
The Bear -- The Mouse -- Belling the Cat -- Fish Proverbs --
The Laborious Ant -- The Worm that turns -- Similes: from the
Animal Kingdom; from Household Surroundings; from various
Callings; from divers Colours 161

CHAPTER VII

The Power of the Tongue -- Speech and Silence -- Knowledge and
Wisdom not Interchangeable Terms -- Truth and Untruth --
Travellers' Tales -- Flattery -- Industry and Sloth -- Youth --
Friends, True and False -- Riches and Poverty -- The Ladder to
Thrift -- The Influence of Womankind -- The Good Wife -- The
Shrew -- The Testimony of Epitaphs -- The Grey Mare -- Home --
Hope -- Forethought -- Excuses -- Good and Ill Fortune --
Retribution -- Detraction -- Pretension -- Self-interest --
Bribery and Corruption -- Custom and Habit -- The general
Conduct of Life -- The Weather -- The Moon made of Green Cheese
-- Conclusion 194

PROVERB LORE