Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-02-26
WOMANANDPR0VERB
POPULAR AND POETIC SAYINGS ABOUT THE
GBNTLBR sen.
Complimentary and UnSmplimsntary u'terancsS
from Various Nafons-Her Inability to Keep
a Sscra-Hsr Capacity for Mischief.
LoHdoR Standard.

In all SUBJECTS relaIluS W "oHaN
frequently they are far from compliment
tary. Indeed, it is curious that In some
sources of literature we should find so
much ill-natured sarcasm-oftentimes as
unjust as il is untrue. On the other hand,
many of the traits of women's character
are very cleverly and aptly depicted, and
occasionally put man in an inferior light.
Thus the stretch Of her influence is indis-
putable, and has given rise to q host OF
old proverbs. whatever a oms will,
she can" a saying which has its equivalent
in other countries. Hence, too, we are
warned how
The mans a fool who thinks by force of skill
To stem the torrent OF a woman's Will;
For If she will, she will. you may depend ON;
And If she won't, she won't, and there's an end
ont.
Within the lines may be compared the
common maxim, "a woman convinced
against her will is Of the same opinion
STILL" Whether it be called obstinaey or
not, there can be no doubt that a strong
will on the part of q woman is no unenvl-
able characteristic; beinglone, also which Is
invaluable to men when engaged in the
business of life. The notion that a woman
cannot keep a secret is embodied in many
a preyerb, and is alluded to by Shakes
peare, who makes Hotspur say to his wife
in l. Henry w."
Constant You are,
But yet a woman; and for secrecy
No lady closer; for / well believe
Thou wilt not utter what thou dost not know,
And so far | will trust thee, gentle Kate.
Accordingly, there is a familiar proverb,
"A woman c~onceals what she does rot
know" Similarly the Spanish are wont
to say, "To q woman and a maybe tell
what you would speak in the market
place" But this, it must be admitted, Is
an unfair reproach, q m being as Ca
pable OF keeping a secret as one Of her OPP
posite Sex. Indeed, as Mr.. Kelly rcmarks
in his book on proverbs, "If there be truth
in proverbs, men have no right to repoach
women for blabbing. A woman can at
least keep her OWE secret. Try her on the
subject of her age" The industry OF wO
man has long ago been proverbisl, as in
the cOuplet:
The woman that's honest, her chiefest delight
Is still to be doing from morning till night.
With which we may compare the common
maxim, "A woman's work is never at an
end" On the other hand, it was formerly
said of o woman who, after being a busy,
industrious maid, became an indolent wife,
"She hath broken an elbow at the church
door," the ceremony OF the church porch
where oftentimes part of the marriage
was performed-having disabled her..ffom
.D.a lnk.n, Thine annthar a1uup
affirmed how
The wife that expects to have a good name
Is always at home, rs If she were lame.
According to our torefathers, it did not
look we'll for a woman to he always sight
seeing, az such was an indication that she
wa not sufficiently domesticated, and was
too fond of pleasure. Hence it was usually
said:
AwOman of seen, a gown of worn,
Are disesteemcd and held in scOrn.
Even at the present day, according TO a
we'll known Yorkshire proverb, "a zonk-
town''-a gossip-''is seldom n good house
wife at home" Many of our old prov
cribs speak of the fickleness of women, but
surely this is a libel on their constancy.
We have only to refer to the pages of our
own history in centuries past to prove the
falsity of this assertion. But the majority
OF old English proverbs are to the same
purport, and a popular one reminds US
that "A woman's mind and winter change
off,; and again
The love OF a woman and a bottle OF wine
Are sweet for a season and last for a time.
Francis /. Of France, it may be remember
ed, wrote one day with a diamond on the
window of the Chateau of Chambord these
words: "a woman changes oft; who trusts
her is right soft" According TO Mr.. Jeat-
freson, in his Brides and Bridals," ii was
partly due to fickleness and hesitancy that
women were prone to do the very thing
| which, at the very moment Of doing it,
they declare they would never do" Thus
one adage tells us how "maids say nay and
take a kiss, a ring, or an offer Of marriage"
On the same principle it has been com
monty said, take a woman'S first advice,
and not her second" The reason for this
is that women are apt TO surpass men in
quickness of intuition, having, to quote
| DR.. Trenches words, "What Montague
ascribes to them as n remarkable WORD, i
| Esprit Prime Sautier-the leopard'sspring,
which takes its prey, if it be to take it all,
at the other proverbs relating to women is
the familiar one
There's no mischief in the world done
But a womaR Is always one.
This is q somewhat severe judgment, and
one which must be received with all eau
ton. According to another adage, "Wo-
men in mischief are wiser than men," and
il is said that "Women's jars breed mems
wars" The-Germans have the following
variation of this proverb: There's no
mischief done in the world but there's a
woman or a priest at the bottom of it,"
| An old adage which has become a house
hold word saying, with a slight amend
ment for the benefit of children, is this:
''Maidens must be seen and not heard" q
piece CT proverbial philosophy, indeed,
| which finds but small recognition in these
days of women's rights. Hence, the IA
miliar saying that Silence is the best or
nameut of a woman" although true IN
the abstract, is one which nowadays is con-
sidered Anticipated. And even as Mr.. Jeaf-
freson rightly remarks, when We con
cede to woman the use Of her tongue, pro-
verbal philosophy insists, in harmony with
Shakespearian opinion, that she should
talk gently in accordance with the wise pre-.
cept. In the husband wisdom, in the wife
pe~nleness.'" The talking propensities of
women have been embodied in the not very
Gathering proverb which tells n how
"Three women and three geese make a mar
ket." Turning in the next place, to the
beauty of women, there are numerous say
ings. Thus we are reminded that the
1910 uomap lnok in their p1asSes the less
they look to their houses; and, again, "a
fair woman and q slashed gown will al
ways find some nail in the way" the
meaning, Of course, being that m are
apt to be negligent housekeeperS in proper
ton as they value their personal attrac-
tions. Then there is the popular proverb
which says that Joan il as good as ny
lady in the dark" for, as an ancient Latin
saving reminds us, ''Blemishes are unseen
ht ~ Wbatber we aprpe with this