The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-25
Some Common Phrases,


tations with which &e lard our daily
conversation. who can tell off-hand
whence come the thousand of trite,
though meaning, phrases, idionas, and ex-
presstons that in such great measure
constitute the stock in trade OF all dis
courses? For example, what is more ia
miliar than the statement while there
Is life there's HOPPER Yet how few there
are aware that a very long time ago
Theocritus made US of this self-same ex-
preston, says a writer in the Indianap-
oils Press. Many of US have had fire.
quent occasion to bring into active ser
vice the phrase over the hills and far
away without being aware that we were
accurately quoting from John Gay s
The Beggar's OPERA and few of US
have given Lord Chesterfield the credit
for originating the expression chapter
Of accidents without which the tele-
graph news in the daily paper would.
for the most part, go unhead-lined.
John Byron, in an eighteen century
letter, originated the comparison LAS
clear as a whistle and it is yet far
from obsolete; Henry Fielding, in 1.-THE
Covent Garden Tragedy" remarked that
Much may be said on both Sides" Ben
jamin Franklin said God helps them
that help themselves" DR.. Samuel John
son first spoke of "a very unclubabie
man." and promulgated the theory that
Hell is paved with good Intentions -
Thomas Gray is credited with saying
Where ignorance is bliss. It's folly to
be wise" and some years before Mat
thew Prior, in addressing the Hon.
Charles Montague. said:
From ignorance our comfort flows
The only wretched are the wise.
Henry Clay was the author of the fire.
quently varied exclamation, What a
monstrous tail our cat has goti''
Heart of Oak may be traced to Da-
things" to Oliver Goldsmith: "A wise
and salutary neglect" to Edmund
Burke; APT alterations artful aid" TO
Charles Churchill; Boys will be boys, .
to Isaac Bickerstaf; with all thy faults
love thee STILL" TO William Cowper
AN oyster may be crossed in love" 70
r. B. Sheridan; Rise with the lark" 70
James Hurdis; Neat not gaudy," To
Charles Lamb; "A delusion. mockery,
and a SNARE" to Lord Denman: "a sea
of upturned faces" to Sir Walter Scott
Charles Miner first spoke of IAN AK
to grind" John Keats said "A thing of
beauty Is a joy forever" "All mankind
loves a lover" Emerson remarked
Across the walnuts and the wine" said
Tennyson in 1.-The Miller's Daughter -
Hippocrates believed that desperate dis
eases require desperate remedies" the
Delphic oracle told Polycrates 10 Leave
no stone unturned." Phaedrus told how
the bald man, who, in attempting to
crush fly, struck himself a silent blow
on the head, added insult to injury
The phrase, Conspicuous by his alb
sence," was first used by Tacitus, though
its authorship has been enormously
ascribed to Lord John Russell. Arsto-
planes advocated calling a spade a
spade" Tertullian uttered the paradox
ical statement, II believe it because it is
impossible" st. Augustine decided
When at Rome to do as the Romans
did" In 1859 Butler, in his "Dyet's Dry
Dinner said: ut is unsea sonable and
unwholelome in all months that have
not an r in them to eat an oyster"
Francis 1. wrote to his mother from
the imperial camp near Pavia, "All is
lost save honor" Tacitus, Terrence
Busy, Rabutin, Voltaire and De Sevigne
have all remarked that God always IA
voTs the heaviest battalions." Schelling
called architecture frozen music" Tai
lyrand somewhat appropriated the phrase
1T is the beginning of the end:' Nine
man is a hero to his valet No less
than twelve classic writer's have en-
ployed various forms of All is not gold
that giitters." In Don QuiXote, "
Donne, Burton, Haywood, and Herbert
We find that Comparisons are odious,
while Shakespeare has gone a step fur
Their and called them "odorous." Beau
mont and Fletcher, Butler. Prior, Pope
and Burns agree to let the devil take
the hindmost.''
Britain, w Elderstan, King, Burns,
and Colman assert that "Fain heart
Dryden Give the devil his due" Hor-
the golden mean" Bacon, Sidney, Full
Ter, South, Dryden, Johnson, and Burke
had their "Iucid Intervals" Gay. Shen-
Midnight OIL" Rabelais, Blackjack,
made of green cheese" Ray, Middleton,
Ben Johnson, Butler, and Farquhar,
'smeled a rat" Rabelais, Chaucer,
of necessity" Peel said, Parish me nc
parishes" Shakespeare said, Grace me
no grace nor uncle me no uncles;" Beau
vows" Ben Johnson said, 30 me no
o's;" Massinger said Virgin me no vir-
gins Dryden said Madam me no
madams;" Fielding said Map me no
maps" Bulwer said Fool me no fools -
and Tennyson said Diamond me no dia-
monds." It is not known who first said
Though lost TO sigt, to memory dear
or Eternal vigilance is the price Of lib