The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-12-29
DAILY CRESCENT.
F,om he Model American Courier.
, CAN'T PROVERBS.

op1cTN or CANT PROVERBS.
nv sKprINus PoLYeLoTT. Eso.-Eo
T.ppINe AND FEATHERING.-lt was one OF the
REGULATIONS formed BY Richard Ceur DE Lion, iol
~, ,cernnent Of his troops, when about 70 enter
'.o he second crusade, that if any one should pc
5isooysred committing a robbery he should pe
,aTrsd ana featbered. This, says James. IS tHs
trst mention Of this singular punishment, macs n
history. ,z1q one
THE WORD YANKEE lin the year H. LIi' New t'ev
Jonathan Hastings, farmer q caaf phrase
England used the word Yankee a. - !, bo,sa !.
n express excellent; Yankee, sgooe' ~ lsl
Yankee cider, etc. The ssuaents = 1ors,ha,,
lege having frequent intercourse = III oceas;ons
and hearing him employ the wse ~
when he Intended 10 express 9is - o
Milen nc s.;.slIv. and called him Yankee
Rlieu y 80 T. Soon became cant phrase among
ths ooIlegians to designate simple, weak, awA-
W srson from College It spread all over the
sa,.n.t1, tilI from its currency IN New England,
LIZ y length taken up and applied to the New
Fn0Ianders, as a term of reproach. Il was IN con,
seo1ence Of this thai the song Of " Yankee Doodle
was composed.
FpIrAPHs-Ihe scholars Of Minus, the Theban
poet. who fourshed about the 27OOth year OF the
world and was unhapplly SLAIN, lainehtea lne ioss
ofther master in pitiful kind OF mourniui verse
called from him Olninum, and afterwards Eplia-
mia because they were sung at burIals, and en-
sraved on sepulchres, which were called monu-
T1enta a memoria ''--as they reminded them OF the
instability Of human affairs, and also excited to
,-se,rroation Of life Such as violated these noun
Ioents were put to death, banished, condemned to
fhe rims or the loss Of members, according to the
Circumstances of the fact or person. The Lacedas-
monians allowed the honor epitaphs TO those men
onlv who died bravely in battles and to women
who were remarkable for their chastity. Inc no
mans erected monuments to some Industrious per-
sons while they were alive, and preserved them
with sacred veneraton after death.
RovAr. OATHs.-In former times Soyereigns had
their favorite oaths which they made use OF on all
occasions when their feelings passions were ex-
cited Elizabeth. pious Queen and good mother
Of the Church Of England, did notscrnple to swear
bv Gods wounds which became quite popular.
and was. in time softened down TO " POUNDS.
Touis XI swors " by Gods Easter - Charles VII
svore bv Gods liqht' - Louis XII used the oath,
the devil take me - but Francis adopted an
oath sufficiently polished for the present nme and
which was, +" on the word of gentleman.
KISSING THE BLARNEY SToNE.-Adjoining the
Castle Of Barney, about three miles from Cork,
there was a square tower, with winding stone
steps TO the top: the floors were all gone, but the
roof which was Of stone, was entire, In the crew.
ces OF which, and on the battements, parsley grew
in great abundance and luxuriance. II was the
custom Of strangers who assembled the top OF tne
tower to creep on their hands and knees to the
corner stone Of the highest pinnacle, and kiss the
same, by vrture Of which, the parties We're said to
be endowed with extraordinary powers OF loquaclty
and persuasion. Hence it was a common saying
when a wheedling, pratng fellow INDUCED in full
some adulation, that he had kissed the Barney
stone"
TAG. RAG AND BoB-rAIL.-In an old work, en-
titled =" London and the Country CaFb0nad0ed and
Quartered . it is sad speaking of the mistress of
an inn" She must entertain all good and bad, tag
and rag, cat and long tayle." The meaning of tag,
rag is piliful fellow, and that Of $ bob-tail,
females Of illcharacter therefore the phrase tag,
N foil ci0 he
male and female.
ROLAND FOR AN Although no phrase
is in more common use, yet few are acquainted
with its origin The expression signifies the giving
an equivalent. Roland and Oliver were two
knights, famous in romance. The wonderful
achievements Of ihe.one could only be equalled by
those the other. Hence the phrase !" Roland fol
an Oliver
SLEEPS LIKE A ToP.-This familiar phrase,
which is applied to persons completely under the
influence Of Morpheus, is enormously supposed to
be derived from the pause of a pegglng top, when
its rotary motion is at its height or schooboys
call IT, " when il is asleep" The phrase is derived
from the Italian topo, which signifies mouse, and
applied as the generic name Of the common field
mouse, from which the Italian proverb, !" Eli dorme
come un topo,' is derived. Anglise, g he sleeps
like top"
DINING WITH DUKE HUMPHREY.-The origin
of this pr0veFb is attributed to many causes. By
some it is attributed to the circumstance Of rat
being shut up in the Abbey Of St Adams, where
the remains Of the Duke Regent are inferred,
while party Of his friends, who came down to the
borough on a pleasure excursion from London,
were enjoying the inequalities of the White Harp
Again, it is said that it owes its origin to the Gus
tom Of Humphrey, Duke Of Gloster, while stu
dent, remaining in the library during dinner time.
According to another account, 6 to dine with Duke
Humphrey" is TO 60 without ones dinner. The
Duke Humphrey was uncle to Henry vi, his pro-
tector during the minority and renowned for his
hospitality and good housekeeping. Those were
said to dine with Duke Humphrey who walked ont
at dinner time in the body Of ST. Pauls church,
because il was believed the Duke was buried there
"But," as Dr. Fuller says, I" that saying is as far
from truth as they from dinner, seeing this Duke
was buried in ST. Adams, to which he was a great
benefactor"
BLAKE'S PATENT
Hire and Water T1roof PAINT aud rsor,nar,N