The New York herald., 1868-05-27

m an oyster shell'-to attempt soralthing Already
impossible; "a blind hen picking for worms" ex.
for fish. - looking for thing where It is most un1
likely 20 be found; "To grind down pestie for g
neeas,~ metaphorical expression for obstinate
tn there rivals are have ears a the eaaiyssn
expressive OF weaRness NJ hoSiIv ons,itmtonalf
these are proverbs which for graphic point are ex|
ceeded by those Of no nation, not even 6y the Arabs
subtle in their application
Correct yourself before you correct Others" s So
San OK with ring in his nose' for man who con-
trolls his passions, or "A calf without ring In his
nose for ungoyernabe youngster are two proverbs
which have no European equivalents and express
most Immediately couple OF the main principles OF
Killed then speak Of the price, for to take a9ysn 9s
tage Of accidental circumstances for extorton ia 50
graphic that 1t Is wonder that 1t has not ere now
Again, the proverb .sWhere there Is musk thers
will be odor without standing in the wind" to ex.
themselves in spite of un!av0rable circumstances IL
worth remembering besides conveying useful les.
to persons little too intensely inclined to wind
their own bugles. 'srhe heart Of a man and the
nav OF an OK" expressive OF avarice, has, on the
snsr hand ss s oa 10 Te Sseern
ferences in things Is happy and applies elsewhere
than in Canton IA rat and cat to sleep together"
in its way though there are several better ones In
English already; "a thief's mouth with pearls In
it," for assembling villain, is more felicitous;
while "The dog lords 1t over the cats RICE" may be
imagined very graphic when accompanied by real
mandarin shrug OF parOf shrivelled shoulders. Ex.
Pressye OF commercial shrewdness ana withal very
forcibe Is "A basket of grain TO pound OF meat"
Tor an Improbable investment; while an "Oily
mouth and heart like razor' is pr0verb demon
strative OF the fact that villains not particularly
scarce IN that country; "a toad studying astronomy
graphic enough and grOtesque enough for Q manda-
rim to find no fault with It, and sTo noursh rat to
eat hole IN ones bags s far more subtly sarcastic
hackneyed ITO warm snake to be bitten by It"
which dates from the old classic fable. ssEvery day
four ounces Of SIM Is good theology according to
GGnsee as well as according to the West
the advantage of the Confession in point
OF terseness and vigor Of expression sThe man has
grasshoppers In his head and they bite him." which
Is Italian for man with q dozen hobbies or o man
OF hobbies and nothing else though celebrated, has
hardly any pith in comparison with the way they
express the same Idea in Pekin, viZ:-"TO have eas
In ones head which has never been exceeded In itB
metaphorcal application to the oppressive, restless
biting of a special hobby in one Is head.
The curses OF the mandarns are less fOrcible and
would strike European as rather bOmbastic and
boyish. 'May the five emperors seize you;" that is,
may you be stricken with pestilence; "May you be
be cut OF :" "May you be thrown On mountain OF
knives;" "May the fish dey0ur your "May you
be devoured by the dragon;n ''May yOu be buried
in white cofln;' "May the crows pick your eyes
these are curses which would hardly starle Euro
pean, though to mandarin they are strong enough
for ordinary purp0ses-fOrming the artculate grape.
shot of conversation and answering exceedingly well
for want OF something more forcible, and as the
curses Of nation are national the above examples
will serve sufficiently to illustrate the national
temper, though 1t must be added that, for obcenty
in their cursng, Of which specimens cannot be
offered, the queer deniZens Of the Middle Kingdom
and the eagaterers OF the earth must be perlitted
to wear the cap and bclls OF the utmost proficiency