The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-04-23


PRoyEEDs. "A proyerb has been we'll
defined as possessing ''sense, shortness
and salt" Many Of those most familiar
can be traced back to very early date;
some few emannted from the seven wise
men of Greece, and many are from the
Biblo. One oi the most remarkable pc
culiarities Of proverbs is that they may
be examined in 30 many different ways.
They may be sub.dirided into nxioms,
ma1ims, aphorisms, apothegms. say.
ings, adages, by-words and saws. An
axiom IN morals, as in mathematics, is q
self.evident truth: "Man doth what he
can, and God what He WILL" 1.-The
happiness of man is the end of civil 60
vernment." A maxim is some moral
truth, designed to have practical effect
upon our lives-it sometimes requires
demonstration. Light gains make n
heavy purse. None knows the
weight of another's burden, "SiIence
seldom does any harm, etc." An aphor-
ism is condensed expression of some
theory: "The fear of the Lord is the be-
ginning of wisdom" "Like cures like"
One OF the medical works of Hippocrates
is known as "Aphorism." An apo
thegm is wise conceit of some cele.
Drated person. ''That city is we'll forti.
lied which has wall OF men instead OF
brick, is an apothegm of Lycurgus.
"a fool uttereth all his mind, but wise
man keepeth it till afterwards" is al
apothegm of Solomon. A saying is ike
an apothegp except that it hns not 80
dignified an origin; it belongs to the
people. ''He that riscth late must trot
all day, and shall scarce overtnke his
business at night, says poor Richard.
An adage is wisdom that is worthy of be
lug acted upon-generally the result Of
the observations of many for long time {:
EVIL communications corrupt good
manners, "The potter is hostile to
the potter BY some the proverb is so
restricted IN it's definition, that it is only
an adage OF a more recent origin. Gen
try sent to market will not buy one
bushel OF corn" ''Hell is paved with
good intentions" A saw is vulgar
saying. often founded in Ignorance:
"Whistling girls and growing hens both
come to bad end" "The hair of the
hound is good for the wound" a by
word is some local or family expression
adopted by the public: "The Vicar of
Bray" "Hobson's CHOICE" "Leavc O
morsel for the Duke Of Rutland," etc.
Beside the mode of distinguished pro.
verbs just enumerated, we find thnt they
have peculiarities indie ,tipg the people
among whom they originated; the !;or.
der proverb of the Douglasses, 1T we're
better to hear the lark sing than the
mouse cheep," belongs evidently to II
people who depended for bulwarks upon
their woods and hills. rather than upon
| Notifications of brick aud stone. In
Japan. where fogs are common, they
say "a iog cannot DE dispe!lel with IL
ian. 10 give Is honor, 10 ask is
grief, might be easily suspected to
have originated with the naughty Spa
niard. as might The King goes as far
as he Is able. not as far as he desires. -
The peculiar subtlety and policy of the
Italian is indicated in many of their
proverbs: "The man who has offended
you. will never forgive you," "rhe
countenano, open, but the thought con
oealed." The gracious and joyous char
acter OF French wisdom is marked by
many familiar proverb: "There is no
one who is always in the right but my.
sell, HE knows not on which leg to
dance" '"The best is the enemy OF
we'll, "The ear is the road to the
heart" Some proverbs mark peculiar
customs or events in history, and some
are to bo traced through many Ian
guages mud cycles: "He that cheated
me once, shame for him he that cheated
me twice, shame for me" ""A bird in
the hand is worth two in the BUSH" F."
Death keeps no calendar" "Only the
wearer knows where tho shoe pinches, "
"Beware Of vinegar made of sweet
wine, "Circunstanccs alters cases, "
etc.
COMING HOME. debnte. p few .lays