The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-05-20
CommoN SAYINGS.

Many of our common sayings, sc
trite and pithy, are used without the
first idea from whose mouth or pen
they originated. Probably the works
of Shakespeare furnish us with more
of these maxims than any other writer.
for to him we owe: "Allis not gold
that glitters." Make virtue of ne
cessity," ''Screw your courage to the
sticking place." (not poinD, They
laugh that win,' &c This is the short
and long of it," Comparisons are
odious," GAS merry as the day is long, >
"A Daniel come to judgment" . Frail-
ty, thy name is woman" and host OF
others.
From the same we Gull, {. Make as
surance doubly sure," "Christmas
comes but once year," "Count their
chickens ere they are hatched," and
''Look before you leap"
Thomas Tsssar, . writer of the six
teenth century, gives " It's an i'll will
turns no good" Better late than new
er," Look ere thou leap" and "The
stone that is rolling can gather no
moss "All cry and no WOOL" is
found in Buffers Hudibras.
Dryden says: "None but the brave
deserve the fair" Men are but chill
dren Of flarger growth, and Through
thick and thin" mo pent up Utica
contracts our power" declared Jona-
than Sewell.
"When Greeks join Greeks then
comes the tug of war;" Nathaniel Lee
1892.
"Of two evils I have chosen the
least" and "The end must justify the
meana," are from Matthew Pryor.
We are indebted to Colley Cibber for
the agreeable Intelligence that Rich
ard is himself again." johnson tells US
of "A good hater," and Mcintosh, in
1871, the phrase often attributed to
John Randolph: +" Wise and mastery
inactivity"
"Variety's the very spice of life, ~
and Not much the worse for wear, ~
Cowper. Man proposes but God
disposes," Thomas A. Kempis.
Christopher Marlowe gave forth the
invitation so often repeated by his
brothers in less public way: Love
me little, love me long," Edward Coke
was of the opinion that &C. A mans
house is his CASTLE" To Milton we
owe "The paradise of fools," GA will
derness of sweets" "Moping melan-
choly," and " Moonstruck madness"
Edward Young tells us "Death
loves a shining mark" ga fool at for
ty is fool indeed" but, alas for his
knowledge of human nature when he
tells US I" Man wants but little, nor
that little long,"
From Bacon comes knowledge is
power" and Thomas Southern reminds
us that 90 PHYS akin to love-" Dean
Swift thought that Bread is the staff
of life."' Campbell found that I" Com
ing events cast their shadows BEFORE"
and "'Tis distance lends enchantment
to the view" "a thing of beauty is
joy forever" is from Keats. Frank
lin said, "God helps them who help
themselves" and Lawrence Sterne
comforts us with the thought. "God
tempers the wind to the shorn lamb"
Even some of the "slang" phrases
of the day have legitimate origin
"Putting your foot in it," is certainly
not a very elegant mode of expression,
but, according to the Asiatic Research
es, it is quite fine point of law when
the title of land is disputed in Hindoo-
stan, two holes are dug in the ground
and used to incase limb of each law
yer (?) and the one who tired first lost
his clients case. Fancy, If you can,
some of our famous climbs of the
law" pleading in such a manner! 1t
is generally the client who ''puts his
foot in it."
When things are in disorder they
are often said to turned topsy.turvey !;
this expression is derived from the
way in which turf used for fuel is
placed to dry, the turf being turned
downward; and the expression means
topside tarf-way.
Plutarcb, in his life of Argesilaus,
king of Sparta, gives Us the origin of
quaint and familiar expression.
On certain occasion an mbassador
from Epirus, on diplomatic mission,
was shown by the king over his cap
ital. The ambassador knew OF the
only nominally king of Sparta, he was
vet ruler of Greece-and he had look
ed to see massive walls rearing aloft
their embattled towers for the defense
of the town but he found nothing of
the kind. He marveled much at this
and spoke of it to the king.
"Sire," he said, haye visited most
of the principal towns, and l find no
walls reared for defense. How is this
Indeed, sir enbassador," replied
Argesilaus, thou canst not have look
ed carefully. Come with me to-mor-
row morning, and will show you the
walls Of Sparta"
Accordingly,o ,on the following morn
ing the king led his guest out upon
the plains where his army was drawn
up in full battle array, and, pointing
proudly to the serried host, he said:
"There, thou beholdest the walls of
Sparta-ten thousand men, and every
/ man a brickn 't
/ Washington Irving gives US, "The
almighty dollar. Thomas Morton que
ried long ago, +" What will Mrs. Gran.