THE MAKING OF PROVERBS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1135, 19 August 1913, Page 4

THE MAKING OF PROVERBS.

It is a common belief that the making of proverbs was confined to the Golden Age and the Biblical Book of Proverbs. But wisdom is no more confined to any age than it is to Solomon’s and his savings. One of the most interesting competitions that was in progress in a London paper when the last mail left had for its subject proverb making. The prizes are mean compared with those offered for forecasts of cricket matches and horse races, but the results are far more entertaining. Wit and wisdom, pun and parody, fun aud fancy abound in some of the proverbs already submitted. “A ring on the hand is worth two on the telephone." ‘‘Take care of your time when you get in a crowd." “Dont’t rush—the last in the lift is usually the first out.” ‘‘Charity begins at a tazaar, and often ends in a deficit.” “A friend in need is a beastly nuisance." ‘‘Truth lies at the bottom of a well that’s why so many people let well alone.” "A stitch in time saves a blush." "You never know what you can do without until you try." "A servant in the house is worth two in the registry office." ‘‘Too many cinemas spoil the child." Then again; ‘‘lt is not necessary to sow wild oats before growing sage.” In these days of the swift-comiug motor car these aphorisms have value: "One thought on the footpath is worth a thousand in hospital." "A crank often helps the wheels to move. "Better be slow than sorry." "A slow crossing is better than a quick funeral." And for golfists: "’Tis better to have played and halved, than never to have left the tee ;" "drive and the others drive with you—foozle aud you miss alone."