82 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 92. 



The remark of our old lexicographer, Florio*, 

 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 ex- 

 amination than they have yet received, of the 

 works of the Elizabethan writers, would elucidate 

 it to an extent that can scarcely be appreciated. 



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 ^yordes. 



2. A Judge must waike with feete of lead. 



3. An ignorante Judge was never indifferente. 



4. A simple eie is soone beguiled. 



5. By a smal drauglitc of sea-water, thou 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. II 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 male 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 male conclude what yee 

 llste. 



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 liable. 



18. Kashe judgemente argueth somme folic. 



19. The Heares of a mannes Bearde, or Heade, 

 never ware white al togeather. 



20. The mouthe which speaketh untruth killeth the 

 soule. 



21. 



22. 



23. 



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 bo emptie. 



27. Untruthe cannot be shielded, but by untruthe. 



28. Where the woulfe is broken in, it is bests for 

 the poore sheepe to breake out." 



It is as well to remark that the above aphorisms 

 * Worlde of Wordes, Ital. and Eng. Pr. 1598. 



The report of an enimie maketh no proufe. 

 The slowe paced horses kepe backe the chariot. 

 The Truthe wilbe hable evermore to beare it 



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 

 varies 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 remon- 

 strated with him on his devoting his pen exclu- 

 sively to satire. That lady gave them to my ma- 

 ternal grandfather. Three lines of the last verse 

 are lost. R. C. H. H. 



Thimbleby. 



" Our instruments untun'd, unsung, 

 (Grief doth from muslck fly) 

 Upon the willow trees were hung. 

 The trees that grew thereby. 



" ' Raise, raise your voice,' the victors say, 

 ' Touch, touch the trembling string, 

 In Sion's manner briskly play, 

 In Sion's manner sing.' 



" Our voice, alas ! how should we raise 

 In Babylonish ground? 

 How should we sing Jehovah's praise 

 In Pagan fetters bound ? 



" If ever, much lov'd Sion, thou 

 Dost from my mind depart. 

 May iny right hand no longer know 

 Soft musick's soothing art. 



" If when in jocund songs I smile, 

 Thou'rt not my choicest theme. 

 May my tongue lose her wonted skill. 

 Nor drink at Siloa's stream. 



" When Babylon's unhallowed host, 

 Flow'd in with hostile tide, 

 ' Down, down with Sion to the dust,' 

 The sons of Edom cried. 



" Hear, hear O Lord these sons of spight, 

 Nor let thy anger sleep, 

 Let their own wishes on them light, 

 In turn let Edom weep. 



" Blest is the man whose fated host 

 Shall Babylon surround, 

 Who shall destroy her impious boast. 

 And raze her to the ground. 



" Blest is he, whose devouring hand," 



