PROVERB LORE.
Proverb Lore. By F. E. Hulrue, F.S.A. (Elliot Stock. is. ffd. net.)—Fuller defined a proverb as "much matter decocted into a few words," and it would be hard to find a better definition. Mr. Ifulme gives us several others, and proverbs in abundance from every quarter of the globe; but there is a want of arrange- meat in some of his chapters, and certain of the "locality proverbs" hardly seem to fit in with Fuller's definition. "Go to Bath" and " As wise as a Waltham calf" can hardly be said to contain much matter, and the very allusiveness of such sayings deprives them of that almost universal appeal which marks the best-known proverbs. "Abusive jests" would be a better title for many of these examples of rustic satire. On the other hand, many really excellent examples of European and Oriental saws are given. "The frog in the well knows nothing of the great sea," is a fine example from Japan, and we are glad to see among numerous quotations from the nine hundred and ninety-nine Egyptian proverbs published by Burckhardt that delightful illustration of self-importance, "They came to shoe the Pasha's horses and the beetle stretched out his leg." "While the monkey reigns, dance before him," is a cynical expression of abasement and servility; and "If they had not dragged me from underneath him, I should have killed him !" brings vividly before us the man who never confesses that he has been worsted. Several epitaphs which embody or resemble proverbs are also given, and among them the following, which is worth quoting as giving the popular view in earlier days of the miller's craft :— " God worketh wonders now and then ; Here lies a miller, and an honest man."
There are also some useful corrections of common misconceptions of the origin and exact meaning of many proverbs or saws. It is not, we think, generally known that "to the bitter end" has nothing to do with heart-break after stern endeavour, but is a nautical expression referring to the extreme end of the cable, which is wound round a bitt.
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