href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@38324@[email protected]#fn2" class="fnanchor pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">[2]—than as a nicely managed argument, which receives no other help from the latter than that of illustration, employed for the simple and single purpose, not of strengthening such argument, but of rendering it comprehensible by the "meanest capacities."

[1] Bentley, of Bp. Pearson, in Dissert. on Phalaris.

[2] I have somewhere met with an amusing instance of this. It seems that Dean Swift, with a party of friends, were invited to view the garden of a gentleman, the walls of which were laden with peaches of a most tempting ripeness, but which they were strictly forbidden to touch. This injunction was followed, until Swift ('twas like him) at length put forth his hand and plucked, at the same time observing, with all becoming gravity, "As my deeply venerated grandmother used to say,

'Twas enough. The authority of the adage was sufficient to overrule every other obligation; and the rest of the company, much to the disgust of the master of the garden, immediately proceeded, with infinite gusto, to follow the Dean's example, not for a moment doubting the propriety of the act. "The court awards it, and the law doth give it."

With this little bit of criticism, let me take the liberty of recommending to such of your readers, and I trust they are many, who seek for knowledge and wisdom in the richly-stored tomes, especially of the divines, whose appearance imparted a further glory to the days of our "good queen Bess," to note down the "wise saws and modern instances" which lie scattered along their glowing periods, like "dew-drops on the flow'ry lawn," for the purpose of transferring them to your very appropriate pages.

The remark of our old lexicographer, Florio[3], that "daily both new words are invented, and books still found that make a new supply of old," may, in its latter part, very fitly be applied to our proverbial philosophy; for, great as is the light which has already been thrown upon the subject, it must be admitted that a more systematic examination than they have yet received, of the works of the Elizabethan writers, would elucidate it to an extent that can scarcely be appreciated.

[3] Worlde of Wordes, Ital. and Eng. Pr. 1598.

With these observations I offer you my little string of pearls, under the hope that row after row may be added to it.

• "1. A contentious man wil never lacke wordes.
• 2. A Judge must walke with feete of lead.
• 3. An ignorante Judge was never indifferente.
• 4. A simple eie is soone beguiled.
• 5. By a smal draughte of sea-water, though maiste judge the verdure of the whole.
• 6. Error can not be defended, but by error.
• 7. Evils must be cured by theire contraries.
• 8. He is very doumbe, and can speak but little, that cannot speake ill.
• 9. He that cannot judge Golde by sounde, or in sight, yet may trie it by the poise.
• 10. Il wil is ever plentiful of il woordes.
• 11. In the fairest rose thou maiste soonest finde a canker.
• 12. It is a desperate cause, that with woordes and eloquence maie not be smoothed.
• 13. It is very course woulle that will take no colour.
• 14. Let Reason leade thee; let Authoritie move thee; let Truthe enforce thee.
• 15. Of an Impossibilitie yee maie conclude what yee liste.
• 16. Oftentimes he is hardiest man to speake, that hathe leaste to saie.
• 17. One demanded this question of Zoilus the Railer: Why takest thou sutche pleasure in speaking il? Zoilus made answere, Bicause, whereas I woulde doo it, I am not hable.
• 18. Rashe judgemente argueth somme folie.
• 19. The Heares of a mannes Bearde, or Heade, never ware white al togeather.
• 20. The mouthe which speaketh untruth killeth the soule.
• 21. The report of an enimie maketh no proufe.
• 22. The slowe paced horses kepe backe the chariot.
• 23. The Truthe wilbe hable evermore to beare it selfe.
• 24. To mainteine a fault knowne, is a double faulte.
• 25. To spende woordes without cause, is affliction of the sprite, and losse of time.
• 26. Vesselles never geve so great a sounde, as when they be emptie.
• 27. Untruthe cannot be shielded, but by untruthe.
• 28. Where the woulfe is broken in, it is beste for the poor sheepe to breake out."

It is as well to remark that the above aphorisms are contained within the first 365 pages of the "Defense." Their orthography and punctuation have been carefully preserved, as they ought always to be in such like cases. Some of them I have not elsewhere met with, and others present variæ lectiones of an interesting character. They are all delivered in a quaint simplicity of style, which admirably illustrates the general tone of thought and language of the period.

COWGILL.

PARAPHRASE ON THE 137TH PSALM BY CHURCHILL.

A paraphrase of the 137th psalm by Charles Churchill may, perhaps, be deemed not unworthy of a place amongst your Notes. It was originally sent to Mrs. Baily of Cadbury, who had remonstrated with him on his devoting his pen exclusively to satire. That lady gave them to my maternal grandfather. Three lines of the last verse are lost.

R. C. H. H.

Thimbleby.