The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-27
PROVERBS ABOUT WOMEN.

Some OF Them Are Anything But Conn
plimentary.
The proverbs Of most countries are rich
in all subjects relating to women, although
frequently they are far from compliment
tary.
Indeed, it is curious that in this source Of
literature We should find 80 much ILL
natured sarcasm-oftentimes as unjust as
it is untrue. According to well-known
italian adage, Whatever woman will,
she cam" saying which has it's equivalent
in other countries. Hence, too, We are
warned how:
The mans fool who thinks by force or skin
To stem the torrent Of q women's will;
Aud Il she won't, she won't, and there's an end
The notion that a woman cannot keep a
secret is embodied in many proverb, and
Hotspur say to his wife in Henry w.:
Constant you are,
but yet woman; and for secrecy
No lady closer: for will believe
And SO Tar will trust thee, gentle Kate.
Mr.. Kelly remarks in his little book on
proverbs: IF there be truth in proverbs
men have no right to reproach women fol
blabbing. A woman can at least keep hel
own secret. Try her on the subject Of her
age" The industry of woman has long ago
become proverbial, 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 the woman who, after being busy,
industrious maid, became an indolent wife,
'.She hath broke her elbow at the church
door," the ceremony of the church porch
where oftentimes part of the marriage SER
vice was performed-having disabled her
for domestic duties. Thus another adage
affirmed how.
The wife that expects to have good name
Is always at home, as If che were lame.
According to our forefathers, it did not
look we'll for a woman to be always sight
seeing, as such was an indication that she
was not sufficiently domesticated and WAS
too fond of pleasure. Hence, it was usually
said:
woman oft seen, gown oft worn,
Are disesteemed and held In scOrn.
Even at the present day, according to a
we'll known Yorkshire proverb, "A zonk-
town"-a gossip-"is seldom good house.
wife at home." Many of our proverbs speak
of the fickleness of women, but surely this. is
a libel on their constancy:
AND Of ms
One adage tells us how "Maids say nay,
and take-a kiss, ring, or an offer of mar
riaRe." On the same principle it has been
commonly said, 'Take a woman's first ad-
vice, 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 . 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
chief done in the world but there's woman
or priest at the bottom of it,"
There is the popular proverb which says
that John is as good as my lady in the
dark" for, as an ancient Latin saying re-
minds us, "Blemishes are unseen by night. -
not, yet as Mr.. Kelly remarks, quoting the
following lines:
Shows stars and women in q better light;
with which may be compared the French
h 1:1 "By oandlelieht goat looks a
Lastly, there are many proverbs warning
A wicked woman and an evil,
At three-half pence worte than the devil.
Hence numerous admonitions are given
relating to marriage, one of which tells us
that mans best fortune, or his worst. is
his wife. Similarly Lord BurleiRh says
to his son: "Use great prudence and cir
cumspection in choosing thy wife, for from
thence will spring all thy future good or
evil; and it is an action Of life like unto
strategem of war, wherein a man can err
but once" But Martin Luther evidently
had q far better opinion of women when he
said:
He who loves not women, wine and song,
He is fool his whole life long.
American Notes and Queries.