The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-12-16

PROVERBS OF ALL NATIONS.


ature, compiled by Walter N. Kelly, which
offers choice selections of proverbs of all
nations, with an entertaining comment.
To us it is something new under the
sun" to find readable work of this class
we give our readers chance to judge for
themselves by making liberal extracts.
Mr.. Kelly's book consists of British prov
erbs, which means English, Scotch and
Irish examples, grouped together and fra
ternized with continental equivalents, and
sometimes with oriental examples, all of
which are translated and explained by the
compiler:
Uunder the heading of "Youth and
Age" one among many proverbs given by
the author, tells us that
"a man at five may be fool at ffteen.'
In the days when cock-fghting was a
fashionable pastime, game chickens that
crowed too soon or too often were con-
demned to the spit as of no promise or
ability. "a lad," says Archbishop What
eley, "who has to degree that excites
wonder and admiration the character and
misdemeanor of an intelligent man of ma
ture years, will probably be that and moth,
ing more all his life, and will cease accord
ingly to be anything remarkable because
it was the precocity alone that ever made
him So" 1t is remarked by grey hound
fanciers that well formed compact shap-
ed puppy never makes feet dog. They
see more promise in the loose jonted,
awkward and clumsy ones. And even so
there is a kind of crudity and unsettledness
in the minds of those young persons who
turn out ultimately the most eminent.
Since the days of Poor Richard, the
proverbs that have circulated in almanacs
about the country, and which are the most
respected by farmers, are those which en-
gender thrift and economy it is ques-
ton whether in a too faithful adherence to
proverbial injunctions of this class, people
do not become mean rather than economic
al, close instead of moderate, lean instead
of fat. Few farmers eat poultry of their
own raising but sell it and buy mackerel,
which keeps better and lasts longer. The
consequence is. that while the purse fills
with the profits offresh food, the body for
lack of it becomes scrofulous and wastes
away in consumption. Thanks to the re-
searches of physol gists, science is getting
to have more moral power than Poor
Richards proverbs or an old almanac!
Enough is as good as a feast"
ga bird can roost but on one branch 4;
a mouse can drink no more than its fill
from a river" (Chinese.) "He is rich
enough who does not want (Italian J
But the difficulty is to determine to nice
ty the point at which there is neither want
nor surplus Practically there is no such
point, however it may exist in theory.
Whoever gave birth to the following
proverb was rare genius:
Hell is paved with good intentions. y
A great moral conveyed in bold fig
ure. What is the worth of vrtuous reso-
lutions that never ripen into action? In
the German version of the proverb slight
change greatly improves (!) the metaphor,
thus: The way to perditlon is paved
with good Intentions A Scotch warns
the weak in will, who are always hoping
to do we'll, that
"Hopers go to He'll"
The following proverb and comment
from Law and Lawyers" may go for
what it is worth:
''He that loves law will get his fill of it. -
Lord Mansfield declared that if any
man claimed field from him he would
give it up, provided the concessions were
kept secret, rather than engage in proceed.
brother always to prefer friendly accom-
mediation to lawsuit gave to the world
a paradoxical proverb, "the half is better
than the whole" Very often :" a lear
, agreement is moro than fat lawsuit
Utalian) Lawyers garments are lined
with suitors' obstinacy'' 0taiian j and
"their houses are built of fools heads
French
Of "physlcians," it is said
''If the doctor cures the sun sees it; if he
kills, the earth hides it."
, The earth covers the mistakes of ths
physician" 0taian and Spanish. J.
'Bleed him and purge him; if he dies, bu
ry him. Spanish 1t is melanchol.
, truth that "the doctor is more to be fearec
, than the disease" (French.)- "Throv
, physic to the dogs" is in effect the advice
. given by many eminent physicians, and by
=. some of the greatest thinkers the worlo
has seen.
"Shun doctors and doctors drugs if yol
wish to be WE'LL" was the seventh, last ant
T best rule OF health laid down by the ia
nous physician Hoffman. Sir William
! Hamilton declared that Medicine in th'
hands in which it is vul carly dispensed i:
a curse TO humanity rather than bless
n ing" and Sir Ashley Cooper did not scru
e pie to avow that "The science Of medicine
g is founded on conjecture and improved b,
e murder" 1t is remarkable fact tha
t ''The doctor seldom takes hysic" Ctalian
lie does not appear to have but very lit
= tie faith in his own art. As for his alleg
ed cures, their reality does not pass un
h questioned. 1t ia true that "Dear physi
e always does good, if not to the patient, a
r least to the apothecary" German; bu
:, 1T is God that cures. and the doctor get
the money" (Spanish). Save your mon
d ey, then, and "Ifyou have a friend who
: doctor, take off your hat 70 him, and sem
z him to the house of your enemy" (Span
ish. .)-7he Crayon.