13 AUGUST 1898, Page 25

Osmanli Proverbs and Quaint Sayings. By the Rev. E. J.

Davis. (Sampson Low and Co. 12s. 6d.)—Some twenty years ago, one Ahmed Midhat Effendi published at Constantinople a collection of Turkish proverbs. This Mr. Davis has here reproduced, giving in the body of the work the transliterated Turkish with a transla- tion and occasional notes, and in the appendix the original in Turkish characters. The book will be found to contain, as most collections do, bona quaedam male, or, anyhow, mediocria viura. -"The Tartar sells his father" (pretty good, considering that the Turk is a Tartar). " He says to the greyhound ' catch' ; to the hare ' run.'" " Are you searching for camels' tracks on the Aleppo Road " " The grandfather has eaten sour grapes and the teeth of the grandchildren ache." " After crossing the sea, he is drowned in the brook." " In business let friends look out." -4" Though the camel go to Mecca forty years he does not become a pilgrim." " Temporise ! Allah is bountiful." " One should contemplate water in a cup, and a ship on the wall." " Do not make a habit, do not abandon a habit." " A pilaff is not made with words." " There is many an axe that strikes a fallen tree." -"The chimney takes fire from the inside."