Proverbs, Sayings, and Comparisons. By James Middlemore. (Isbister.)—Mr. Middlemore has
brought together in this volume, with laudable industry, many hundred proverbs, giving them in the various languages in which they are found. We doubt, indeed, whether all the forms are genuine national growths. Some certainly look like translations. The blemish of the book is to be found in the Latin forms. These often want correction, both in punctuation and in grammar, unless we are to suppose an ex- traordinary prevalence of typographical errors. We give a list :-
" Tiara est adeo concordia formes atque pnditise."
" Stultns peenniam facile emungere " [sorely stultum petunias]. " Via stuna recta in oculis ejus" [surely stulti).
" Pecuniam eopendere intelligentiaflagellatua est" (this is nneonstruable_
"Non semper feria quaeunque minabitar areas" [for guocieungue].
"Magna fortnna magus servitas " "venter famelions auriculus caret."
" Adhibenda net in jocanda moderatio." "Idendaci homini ne yen= quidem dieente credere solemus."
All these come from the first twenty pages. We should say that "Dives amico Hercule" has little to do with "A friend at Court is better than money in the purse." It must allude to the belief that Hercules was the finder of hidden treasures ; and " Hide subitse mortes atque intestate senectus" seems to refer to the danger of gluttony to health rather than to its impoverishing effect, the meaning of the proverb " A fat kitchen makes a lean will."
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