The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1891-05-05

Inc OTiEtn OF B0HD fnrnte1 InAE Aob0
Become Proverbial.
! 1t will be found on examination that
most sayings may be traced back to q
literary origin, says the New York Sun.
What more common, popular maxim is
there than that sProcrastination is the
thief OF time?''' Yet it is the first line
of that most deadly dull of books,
Young's might Thoughts. Crowds Of
people have been befooled in imagining
that ''The Lord tempers the wind to the
shorn lamb is biblical saying, yet it
is only as old as Stcrne's Sentimental
Journey" Everybody knows about the
man whoread Hamlet" at an advanced
age, and said he would have liked it if
it had not been so full of 'chestnuts."
The fact is that great part Of it has
become proverbial, and so common
property. We no longer have to read
the play to imbibc lot of its philoso-
ply, for it is floating in the air about us.
On the other hand, some sayings I'M
doubtedly have popular origin. A
splendid example Of the evolution Of
one occurs in the old testament, in the
STORY of Saul. When the future first
ing Of Israel appeared among. the
gophats the people were astopished-
lie had been of a rather frivolous dispo-
saion. Some man in the crowd ex-
Cl.simed: Saul also among the proph-
ets?" The expression caught on, and it
nas been familiar saying ever since
We have among ourselves very good
example of the same sort in the express
sion: "a good enough Morgan till after
election"
A difficulty here meets us. How is it
that among eastern illiterate nations
proverbs of the most perfect form and
literary finish are found? The same
state of affairs occurs in Spain.
The explanation lies in the fact that
in both cases the people are able to get
at literature vicariously. In Persia and
the east generally the professional
story-teller comes to village. In the
evening the inhabitants sit around the
tent and he tells them tales, many of
them thousands of years old and full of
Ghe condensed wisdom of ages. In
spain the muieteer who wanders about
the country fills exactly the same po-
sition and to the literature popularized
by him must be largely attributed the
richness of Spanish in proverbs.
Tony Wcller was the proverb-spinner
& tie Tici5s.icll crowd. He got his fac
uisy il the very same way that the
;ya.lish ,nuletecr and the Persian story
;cr ;,ot theirs. He met u great many
scope in his trips on the coach and
his sayings got sharpness and clearness
Of outline with every fresh repetition.
10 lonDt many of them were retailed
oy countless appreciative hearers.
IN the same way, the Jaryey in the
south o. ireland is by nature a manu-
ficturcr of proverbs. He is part of all
that he has met, and as action and re-
action are equal and opposite. all that
lie has met become part of him.
When proverb has gained sure
place in one language, and strikes some
observer of a different race and civiliza-
ton, there is difficulty about transport
ing It bodily. Ii it be eastern it will |
have Il reference that will not, for in
stance, appeal to westerns. What then
happens is that it is Localized. 1t is |
treated in the very way that names
are altered in q good story to give it
local color In this way an eastern
3r0verb about camel becomes a
ives .srn one about horse, and SO on.