Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-03-02
SAYINGS, AND WHO FIRST SAID


Many Of our common sayings, 90 trite
and plthy, are used without the least idea
from whose mouth or pen they hrst origi-
mated. Probably the works Of Shakes
peare furnish us with more Of these famil-
lar maxims than any other writer, for TO
him we owe: Gan Ii not gold that gilt
ters," MAKE O virtue Of necessity"
"Screw your courage to sticking place,
(not point, "They laugh that win,"
"This is the short and long OF It."
Companions are odious," GAS merry ~
the day Is long," "a Daniel come TO judg-
ment," "Frailty, thy name Is woman"
and hosts Of others.
Washington Irving gives us "rhe Al
mighty Dollar" Thomas Norton queried
long ago "what will Mrs. Grundy say, v
while Goldsmith answers, "Ask me no
questions and I'll tell you no fibs." Chas.
C. Pickney "Millions for defence, but not
one cent for tribute" FIRST In war, first
in peace, and first In the hearts OF his fell
low-citizens" (not countrymen), appeared
In the resolutions presented to the House
of Representatives In December, 1890,
prepared by Gen. Henry Lee.
Thomas Tasser, writer OF the six
teenth century, gives us, "It's an i'll wind
turns no good" Better late than never, V
Look ere thou leap and The stone that
Is rolling can gather no moss" "All cry
and no wool" Is found in Buffers "Hudi'
bras
dryden says: "None but the brave de-
serve the fair" "Men are but children OF
larger growth" Through thick and thin.
NO pent-up Utica contracts our power,
declared Jonathan Sewell.
when Greeks join Greeks then was
the tug Of war" Nathaniel Lee, lG92.
"Of two evils have chosen the least.
and 1.-THE end must justify the means,
are from Matthew Prior. We are indebted
TO Colley Cibbcr for the agreeable inteili'
gence that Richard Is himself again.
johnson tells us OF "A good hater," and
Macintosh In 1871, the phrase often at
tributed 70 John Randolph, ''wise and
mastery inactivity"
.varietys the very spice OF life, and
."Not much the worse for wear" Cowper
"Man proposes, but God disposes," Thorn
as Kempis.
Christopher NARROW gave forth the in
vitation so often repeated by his brothers
| in less public way, Glove me little, love
me long" Edward Cooke was OF the
opinion that a mans honse Is his castle.
| To Milton we owe 1.-The paradise OF fools,
"A wilderness Of sweets" and "Mopint
melancholy and moons truck madness.
Edward Young tells Us Death loves
shining mark" a fool ut forty Is a foo
indeed" but. alas for his knowledge o
human nature when he tells US MAN wants
but little. nor that little long.
From Bacon comes knowledge Is pow
er. and Thomas Southern reminds us tina
"Pitys akin TO love" Dean Swim though
that BREAD Is the staff of life" Camp
bell found that "Coming events cast thei
shadow before" and TITS distance lend
enchantment 10 the view" "a thing o
beauty Is n JOY forever" Is from Keats
Franklin said, "God helps those who he'll
themselves" and Lawrence Sterne CON
comforts us with the thought, "God TEN
pers the wind to the shorn lamb"
Even some Of the "slsng" phrases OF III
day have q legitimate origin. Putin;
your foot In it," Is certainly not very e.
egant mode OF expression, but, according
to the "Asiatic Researches" 1t Is quite
fine point Of law; when the title TO land i
disputed In Hindostan two holes are du:
In the ground aud used to encase linn
OF each lawyer (?) aud the one who tire
first lost his clients case. Fancy, II yo'
can, some Of our famous climbs OF III
law" pleading in such n manner! 1t /
generally the client who puts his foot II
It."