The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-18

1t is an interesting task to trace the genesis
and history Of phrases which have become
household words and it is greatly assisted by
Mr.. Bartletts method OF distribution. the
authors quoted being arranged. so far as the
main body OF the work is concerned. in chrono-
logical order. Thus the proverb that Walls
have ears" was formerly supposed to have
been suggested by Heywood's Fields have
eyes and woods have ears" It had previously
appeared. however. in Chaucer Tho field
hath even and tho wood hath ears"
and Mr.. Bartlett has found it still further
bnck in a manuscript penned about A. D.
1900 and entitled King Edward and the
Shepherd: Wood has ears. field has sight"
Much research also has been bestowed on the
origin OF tho phrase ITO make virtue OF
necessity" This used to be credited to
Shakespeare. who uses 1t in two different
places. but Chaucer had said long before.
ITO maken vertue OF necessitie." and
Quintilian had observed in his 1nsti-
tutes that men sometimes give to neces-
sity the praise OF virtue" To Chauoer also
must be awarded tho paternity of Gray's, line
Fen in our ashes live their wonted fires" for
in one OF the Canterbury Tales" we read Yet
in our ashen cold is fre yreken." The asser-
tion tina. people visit public places TO see
and to be seen" WAS made familiar to the mod
ern reader by Goldsmith. but Chaucer causes
tho Wife OF Bath to say that she had como And
for to see and exc for to be seem" Ovid had
anticipated him. however. more than thirteen
centuries before for in the Art OF Love he
speaks OF people who Come to SEQ and also
that they may themselves be seem" SO. too.
Handsome is as handsome does" most OF us
get from Goldsmith. but it Is possible II not
probable. that Goldsmith took it from Chaucer's
He is gentil that doth gentil dcdis." The
proverb He must have q long spoon that shall
eat with the devil" occurs In Shakespeare. but
it is encountered more than two centuries
earlier in Chaucer. Therefore behooveth him
a full long spoon that shall eat with the iend."
Pope's Know then myself appears in
Chaucer under the form. Full wise is he that
can himscven know" The thought. however.
is ascribed BY Diogenes LAertius to Thales.
who. being asked what was very difficult. re-
piled. ITO know oneself" The proverb
Murder will OUT also confronts us for the
first time in Chaucer. Shakespcaro's "All
that gisters is not gold" may be traced under
one paraphrase or another to the Canterbury
Tales" but according to Tyrwhitt it is Of still
earlier date having been taken by Chaucer
from the Parabol9 Of Alanus de insults. who
died in 1904 The proverb MANY a mickle
makes a muckle" is met with in 4haucer's
MANY small maketh n great" and he
precedes Thomas Kompis in employing the
saying "Of two evils choose tho least" the
Latin progenitor OF which is to be found
in Cceros DE Onicls." and doubtless this
again had q Crock original. The first mention
OF tho rroverb. Went in one ear and out at
the other" is commonly referred to Haywood:
but II occurs in Chaucer's "Trollus and Cre-
seidc.' The same thing may DO said OF A
nine days wonder This Is cited by Hey
hut had aIr do kA., hH-H Nh,
Ger In tho poem Just named. Exc wonder lasts
hut nine days never in town. Another of
Heywoods proverbs. Three may keep coun-
ell if two he away." also appears earlier in
Chaucer's Ten Commandments OF Love.
II.
CHANGER is by no means the only old English
writer from whom wc have borrowed pithy say
ings. not. indeed usually at first hand. but after
they have passed through one or moro later
notifications. 1t is. of course. the earliest OBJ
tainabie source Of n quotation which is OF In
terest to the student Wo note as character
istic OF Mr.. Bartlett that no was not satisfied
with the current imputation OF" Man proposes.
but cd disposcs" to Thomas A Kempis. On
tho contrary no did not rest until no found it
In the Chronicle OF Battel Abbey. and ulti-
mately discovered its prototype in the
Old Testament book Of Proverbs: "A
mans heart dcvlseth his way: but the Lord
directeth his steps" 1t seems. however, that
tho first appearance In literature OF the adage.
Out OF sight out OF mind" Is rightly attrib-
uted to Thomas 4 Kempis. ian English con-
temporary OF the last-named writer. Bir John
Fortescue. should also bs ascribed tho first
mention Of tho saying. Much cry and no
WOOL" with which the author OF "Hudi-
bras" is usually credited. Fortescue. more
A,.at 30.