Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-04-24
SAYINGS AND THEIR ORIGIN.
From the chronological journal.

The origin of the common saying,
"Consistsncy, thou art = jewel" has
been . disputed question among
scholars ; it has been traced, however,
to q ballad published in 1774. entitled.
f'Jolly Robyn Roughhead." i'll which
the poet fmdulges in Q lamentation
ver the deplerable extravaganza OF
mankind in general aud women in
particular, causing Robyn to address
his wife in these words:
t'Tush tush, my lassiei such thoughts resign.
Comparisons are cruell,
Fine pictures suit 10 frames as fine,
ConsistencY's . tewelli'
A noted French wit Of the six
teenth century, Francis Rabelais,gave
US the following witty coupiet:
''The devil was sick, the devil . monk would
The devil was well the devil 8 monk was he;''
and, also, the expression, "RobbiDg
Peter he paid Paul"
Decoreus mammas sometimes quote
to their hoydenish daughters the old
saw, "Whistling girls and Growing
hens always come to some bad end"
hardly thinking they are using one
Of John Chinaman's proverbs ; such
is the fact, however, and it is all in
junction Of the Chinese priesthood to
kill every unfortunate biddy hat
ventures to crow.
To "scrape acquaintance" is a
quaint phrase which originated with
Hadrian, who. being at the public
bath Il day, observed a veteran
scraping his body with y tile ; he at
once ordered that the old soldier
should be supplied with more suita-
BILE cleansing materials, aud also with
money. When the emperor again
visited the bath, there were q score
Of old soldiers in the water, rubbing
away for dear lie with their several
tiles. Hadrain understood the sight
at once, and dashed their great ex-
pectations to the ground by exclaim-
ing cha! ha ! you had better scrape
one another, nay good felle You
certainly shall not scrape acqaaint-
ance with me-"
"Oh, rare Ben Jonson ~ is a phrase
familiar eve to those who are unac-
i quaintsd with the beauties of the
works Of this celebrated author.
These words were cut upon his tomb
stone in Westminster Abbey by a
mason for eighteen pence, at the re-
quest OF q lOoker-On while the grave
was being covered.
W. are gratifed to learn, from both
johnson and Herbert, that "Hell is
paved with good intentions )" aud
Beaumont and Fletcher assure Us that
WHATS one mans poison, signor, is
a%nother's meat or drink"
"Though this may be play to you,
tits death to u.s." writes Roger
rEstrange in 1904. Milton introduces
to our notice ''the light fantastic toe"
in his "L'Allegro."
"Out of mind as soon AZ out of
sight," is quoted from Lord Brooke f;
and "Necessity is the mother of IN
vention" originated with George
Farquhar.
When King Charles was in parlia-
ment attending the discussion of Lord
Ross divorce bill, he declared it to
be as s'good as a play" and the saying
has outlived him.
"Cleauliness is next to goodness"
is found in the Koran. evil COM
municatiOns corrupt good manners"
is quoted by St. Paul in his writings.
and is found in a fragment by Nell
ander, al ancient Greek poet.
Those people who bore their un-
fortunate friends with long stories
aud receive in return the compliment
of "going all around Robin Hood's
barn. may better appreciate it's
meaning If they understand that that
here's said stbarn' was erected bv
nature in the farm Of that grand for
est in which Robin Hood and his
chosen band saw fit to roam. We
often read of a defeated political an
didate as being "sent up Salt river
Mr. Ravard Taylsr- i'm ono of his
works, explains the origin of this
saying in this way: "Salt river was
at II time noted for its pugiIists
among the salt miners, consequently
the boatmen on the Mississippi would
threaten any of their offending com.
rades with being tent up Salt river
to the far from tender mercies oil
those who made it famous.
Every one knows the Hub" il
Boston but perhaps every one ms,
/ not know that the bright New Eng
|. land metropolis received that name
from Oliver Wendell Holmes in hi.
"Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table,'
where is found this line: "Bostol
state-house is the hub of the solar
3 universe"
From that American of Americans
Benjamin Franklin, came many wise
} quaint sayings familiar as househol.
words, and among the many we will
mention but these:
"Many a little make a mlckle :
I "Three removes are as a fire - CON
to-day is worth two to-morrews ::
, aud early to bed and early to ris
J makes a man healthy, wealthy ali,
= wine