A small spark makes a great fire. A smart reproof is better than smooth deceit. As the old cock crows, the young cock learns. As welcome as flowers in May. As you make your bed, so must you lie on it. Bachelors' wives and maids' children are always well taught. Beauty is no inheritance. Before thou marry, be sure of a house wherein to tarry. Beggars have no right to be choosers. Be it for better, or be it for worse, be ruled by him that beareth the purse. Be slow to promise, and quick to perform. Better do it than wish it done. Better go about than fall into the ditch. Better known than trusted. Better late than never. Better to be alone than in bad company. Better to bend than to break. Better to go to bed supperless than to rise in debt. Between two stools we come to the ground. Birds of a feather flock together. Birth is much, but breeding is more. Borrowed garments never fit well. Brevity is the soul of wit. Building and marrying of children are great wasters. Building castles in the air. Burning the candle at both ends. Business is the salt of life. Buy at a market, but sell at home. By others' faults wise men correct their own. "Can do" is easily carried. Care killed a cat. Carrying coals to Newcastle. Carrying more sail than ballast. Catch not at the shadow, and lose the substance. Charity begins at home, but does not end there. Children and chickens must be always picking. Climb not too high, lest the fall be the greater. Cut your coat according to your cloth. Death is deaf, and hears no denial. Death keeps no calendar. Debt is the worst kind of poverty. Deeds are fruits, words are but leaves. eye. Deep rivers move in silence, shallow brooks are noisy. Delays are dangerous. Deliberate slowly, execute promptly. Depend not on fortune, but on conduct. Dependence is a poor trade to follow. Deserve success, and you shall command it. Desires are nourished by delays. Despise none, despair of none. Diligence is the mistress of success. Diseases are the interests paid for pleasures. Do as you would be done by. Doing nothing is doing ill. Do not burn daylight upon it. Do not halloo till you are out of the wood. Do not make fish of one and flesh of another. Do not rip up old sores. Don't be all your days trotting on a cabbage-leaf. Don't measure other people's corn by your bushel. Eagles fly alone, but sheep flock together. Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. Empty vessels make the greatest sound. Enough is as good as a feast. Entertain honour with humility, and poverty with patience. Ever drunk, ever dry. Ever spare, and ever have. Everybody's business is nobody's business. Every couple is not a pair. Every dog has his day. Every herring must hang by its own head. Every Jack has his Gill. Every man is the architect of his own fortune. Every path hath a puddle. Every shoe fits not every foot. Everything hath an end, and a pudding hath two. Everything is good in its season. Everything is the worse for wearing. Evil communications corrupt good manners. Evil gotten, evil spent. Example teaches more than precept. Faint heart never won fair lady. Fall not out with a friend for a trifle. False friends are worse than open enemies. Fancy may bolt bran, and think it flour. Far-fetched and dear-bought is good for ladies. Fat sorrow is better than lean sorrow. Few take care to live well, but many to live long. Fine words butter no parsnips. Fire and water are good servants, but bad masters. Fire is not to be quenched with tow. Fly pleasure, and it will follow thee. Fools make feasts, and wise men eat them. Fools should never see half-done work. Forbearance is no acquittance. Forgive and forget. Forgive any sooner than thyself. Fortune favours the brave. Fortune has no power over discretion. Fortune knocks once at least at every man's gate. For want of company, welcome trumpery. Gather thistles, expect prickles. Gentry sent to market will not buy one bushel of corn. Get thy spindle and distaff ready, and God will send flax. Give a dog an ill name and hang him. God helps those who help themselves. Good counsel is above all price. Good harvests make men prodigal, bad ones provident. Good to be merry at meat. Good ware makes quick markets. Good wine needs no bush. Good words cost nothing, but are worth much. Great cry, and little wool. Great gain and little pain make a man soon weary. Half a loaf is better than no bread. Handsome is that handsome does. Happy is he who knows his follies in his youth. Hasty resolutions seldom speed well. He has brought his noble to ninepence. He loseth his thanks who promiseth and delayeth. He must stoop that hath a low door. He plays well that wins. He's a Jack in office. He that always complains is never pitied. He that blows in the dust fills his eyes. He that falls in an evil cause, falls in the devil's fryingpan. He that goes a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing. He that has no shame has no conscience. He that has no silver in his purse should have silver on his tongue. He that hath a good harvest may be content with some thistles. He that is angry is seldom at ease. He that is warm thinks all are so. He that lendeth loseth double. [Loses both his money and his friend.] He that licks honey from thorns pays too dear for it. He that lives not well one year, sorrows for it seven. He that runs in the night stumbles. He that sows not corn plants thistles. He that stays in the valley will never get over the hill. He that will not be counselled cannot be helped. He that will not be saved needs no preacher. He that will steal an egg will steal an ox. He that would thrive must rise at five, he that has thriven may lie till seven. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He who is hasty fishes in an empty pond. He who knows himself best esteems himself least. He who lies long in bed, his estate feels it. He who marrieth for wealth doth sell his liberty. He who spends all he gets is in the high-road to beggary. He who would catch fish must not mind getting wet. He who would reap well must sow well. Hiders are good finders. His bread is buttered on both sides. His eye is bigger than his belly. His tongue's no slander. Home is home though it be ever so homely. Hot sup, hot swallow. Humility is the foundation of all virtue. Hunger is the best sauce. Hungry dogs eat dirty puddings. I can see as far into a millstone as the picker. Idle folks have the least leisure. Idle folks have the most labour. Idleness is the parent of want and shame. Idleness is the sepulchre of a living man. |