The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1896-01-31
CRISP FORMS OF THOUGHT.
SOLOMON AND UPPER TWISTED
TO SUIT A MODERN TRADE.

The Wisdom of the Sagcs and the wit
of the Masses, Even the Work of the
Missionaries, Are Grist in the Mill
They Are Poached Upon by Authors
and Advertisers.
Whether Solomon invented all his PROV
cribs or gathered them from many sources
with nicer sense of permanent worth
than Mr. Upper exercised in his later
compendium is and ever will be an open
question. Solomon's copyright ran out
long before TuppeIs time, and both are
now poached upon with impunity by all
classes, from authors to advertisers. But,
taken by themselves, proverbs we'll repay
careful study. Students of ethnology
ind in the proverbs of the different races
the dearest proofs of their real character
lstlcs, for they are the shrewdest and yet
most intimate expressions Of their daily
life
Jud ged by the comparison of these
homeiy sayings it will be found that all
nations are of one kindred, possessing
common needs, common aspirations, and
seeking similar reliefs from toll and labor.
On the busiest shelves of our libraries
may be found collections of all the prov
cribs of the different nations, quite a
large proportion of the work having re-
suited from the interest which mission
aries have taken in their earnest studies
OF the uncivilized peoples whom they seek
to instruct. That the shrewd sayings of
the Scotch or the bright hits of the Irish
should be carefully collected gives little
cause for surprise; but collection of
Abysslnlan proverbs. of those Of the
Tamil Language, of Icelandic lore, of the
Sanscrit, South Sea Island, Chinese, and
Hottentot Solomons does excite curiosity.
Ihe missionaries have found it a pleasant
as well as profitable task. 1t delves
deep into the idioms of the language, tells
with unerring accuracy the mental ten
dency of the people, and by introducing
the foreigner into the inner thought Of
both home and trade shows him the real
lie ct those who adopt them as every
| day expressions.
1t is impossible to read the well-collated
proverbs of the Chinese without realizing
that home life exists in that fowery
kingdom which rivals that of many more
civilized countries. No Solomon, no de-
| scendant of Abraham, could eclipse the
| trade proverbs of the Chinese. They
| touch on trade with keenness and thor
oughness which proves them to be mas
ters in that school. The baser life of the
aottentot, the loose morals of the fellah,
the independent spirit of the Briton, are
all crystallized in their national proverbs.
In England and many other countries it
was formerly very usual for tradesman
70 select some proverb as his motto, and
:hus post his principles plainly over his
;hop door. 1t remained. however, for an
american house to appropriate the pro
verbs of the world en- masse, and use them
.or their own advancement. New Workers
| who ride on the elevated roads, or people
who in less favored localities still jog
llong in the slow street cars, are familiar
with the blue and white proverbs which
proclaim the merits of Sapolio to the
world. Every omnibus in London and al
most every tram car" in England is sim
larry adorned.
They made their first appearance on the
Broadway omnibuses, were gathered out
# over 1000 pages of the worlds collec-
lions. and twisted to suit the case. Many
II them are beyond easy recognition in
their new dress, many are entirely orig
mel, but these are also printed between in
Terted commas, which lends glamour of
antiquity to them. To-day we are told
that over 10000 of these blue cards arc
displayed in public conveyances carrying
over 6, 0O0, 900 passengers daily.
Condensed thought generally requires
padding to make it ineligible to the
masses, just as the stomach Of the horse
must be distended with hay to make the