Jamaica Proverbial Philosophy. 



By the Rev. D. J. Reynolds. 



jBWSJSjRO VERBS from very early times have 

 &m^!Jt been charafteristic of man the wide world 

 y>^^L3l over. Men of all climes and countries display 

 a strong predile6lion for expressing themselves in pro- 

 verbs. The savage as well as the man of culture 

 illustrate in this, as in some other indications of their 

 common humanity, the fa6t that: "a touch of nature 

 makes the whole world kin." 



Proverbs are to be found in sacred as well as in 

 profane history. 



Holy Scripture as we know has honoured the pro- 

 verbial form of speech, in that some of the wisest and 

 weightiest lessons of morality and religion are delivered 

 in the form of proverbs ; Our Saviour himself not 

 disdaining their use when it suited His holy purpose so 

 to do. They abound in every language, and from the 

 days of ARISTOTLE, who was the first colle6lor of them, 

 until now, they have not been deemed unworthy the 

 attention of some of the greatest intellefts. 



Shakespeare makes frequent use of them in his 

 immortal plays, a special instance occurring in " Corio- 

 lanus," A6t i., Scene i. 



Hang 'em ! 

 They said they were an hungry ; sigh'd forth proverbs ; 

 That hunger broke stone walls, that dogs must eat. 

 That meat was made for mouths, that the Gods sent not 

 Corn for rich men only : — With these shreds x 



They vented their complainings. 



