The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-07-16
PROVERBS ABOUT WOMEN.
Some of these Sayings Are Anything but
Complimentary.

The proverbs of most countries are
rich in all subjects relating to women,
although frequently they are far from
complimentary, says A1aer1can Notes
and Queries.
Indeed, it is curious that in this
source of literature we should find so
much ill-natured sarcasm-oftentime
as unjust as it is untrue. According to
well-known italian adage, what
ever woman will. she cana saying
which has its equivalent in other
countries. Hence, too, we are warned
how
''The mans a fool who thinks by force or skill
For If she WILL she will, you may depend ont
And If she won't, she won't, and there's an end
ont"
The notion that woman can not
keep a secret is embodied in many a
proverb, and is alluded to by Shaks-
peare. who makes Hotspur say to his
wife, in l. Henry w..
Constant care you are,
But yet woman; and for secrecy
No lady closer; fo: well believe
Thou wilt not utter what thou dost not know,
And SO far will trust thee, gentle Kate"
Mr.. Kelly remarks, in his little book
on proverbs: eff there be truth in
proverbs men have no right to reproach
women for blabbing. A woman can at
least keep her own secret. Try her on
the subject of her age" The industry
of woman has long ago become pro-
verbal, as in the couplet:
1.-The woman that's honest. her chieftest de
light
Is still to be doing from morning till night"
With which we compare the COM
mon maxim: "a woman's work is
never at an end.' On the other hand
it was formerly said of the woman who,
after being a busy. industrious maid
became an indolent wife. 'She hath
broken her elbow at the church door,"
the ceremony of the church porch
where oftentimes part of the marriage
service was performed having dis
abled her for domestic duties. Thus
another adage affirmed how
.'The wife that expects to have a good name
Is always at home, as if she were lame
According to our forefathers it did
not look well for woman to be always
sightseeing, as such was an indication
that she was not sufficiently domesti-
Gated and was too fond of pleasure.
Hence, it was usually said:
"a woman oft seen a gown oft worn,
Are diSesteemed and held in scorn."
Even to the present day, according
to well-known Yorkshire proverb,
"a yorktown Ia gossip] is seldom a
good housewife at home" Many of
our proverbs speak of the fickleness of
woman, but surely this is libel on
their constancy:
1.-THE love of woman and a bottle of wine
Are sweet for season and last for time"
One adage tells us how "Maids say
nay and take-a kiss, ring or an offer
of marriage" On the same principle
it has been commonly said: Take o
woman's first advice and not her
second"
Among some of the many other
proverbs relating to women is the
familiar one:
There's no mischief in the world done,
But a woman is always one.''
This is somewhat severe Judgment,
and one which must be received with
caution. According to another adage,
''Women in mischief are wiser than
men," and it was also said that
''Women's jars breed mems wars. ="
The Germans have the following varia-
ton of this proverb: There's no mis-
chief done in the world but there's a
woman or priest at the bottom of it. -
There is another proverb which says
that John is as good as my lady in
in the dark, " for. as an ancient Latin
saying reminds us, "Blemishes are un-
seen by night" Whether we agree
with this statement or not, yet, as Mr..
Kelly remarks, quoting the following
lines:
1.-The night
Shows stars and women in a better light"
With which may go the French hyper.
bole. ''By candlelight goat looks like
a lady"