"Many are thought to be knit in the ties of sincere "kindness: but when it comes to the proof, how "much are they deceived! Slander is the common vice of the age. Even the host back-bites his guest, "One's own home is the best home, though never "so small *. Every thing one eats at home is sweet. "He who lives at another man's table is often obliged "to wrong his palate. "I have never yet found a man so generous and "munificent, as that to receive at his house was not "to receive: nor any so free and liberal of his gifts, "as to reject a present when it was returned to him. "Let friends pleasure each other reciprocally, by presents of arms and habits. Those who give, and "those who receive, continue a long time friends, and often give feasts to each other. "Love both your friends and your friends' friends: but do not favour the friend of your enemies. "Peace, among the perfidious, continues, for five "nights, to shine bright as a flame: but when the "sixth night approaches, the flame waxes dim, and is "quite extinguished: then all their amity turns to ha «tred. "When I was young, I wandered about alone: I "thought myself rich if I chanced to light upon a "companion. A man gives pleasure to another man. "Let This is like our English Proverb, " Home is home, be it never so homely." 'T. "Let you a man be oyer wise, neither let him be 66 more curious than he ought. Let him not seek to know his destiny, if he would sleep secure and quiet. Jaut ti: "Rise early, if you would enrich yourself, or vanquish an enemy. The sleeping wolf gains not the prey; neither the drowsy man the victory. "They invite me up and down to feasts, if I have "only need of a slight breakfast: my faithful friend is he who will give me one loaf when he has but +.66 two. ลา "Whilst we live, let us live well: for be a man 66 never so rich, when he lights his fire, Death may 66 perhaps enter his door before it be burnt out. "It is better to have a son late than never. One ❝seldom sees sepulchral stones raised over the graves "of the dead, by any other hands but those of their "own offspring. "Riches pass away like the twinkling of an eye: "of all friends they are the most inconstant. Flocks "perish; relations die; friends are not immortal; "you will die yourself: but I know one thing alone "that is out of the reach of fate; and that is, the "judgment which is passed upon the dead. "Let not the wisest be imperious, but modest for he will find by experience, that when he is among "those that are powerful, he is not the most mighty. "Praise the fineness of the day, when it is ended; "praise a woman, when you have known her; a "sword, when you have proved it; a maiden, after she is married; the ice, when once you have crossed it; and the liquor after it is drunk. "Trust not to the words of a girl; neither to those "which a woman utters; for their hearts have been "made like the wheel that turns round; levity was <s put into their bosoms. "Trust not to the ice of one day's freezing; nei❝ther to the Serpent who lies asleep; nor to the caઠંડ resses of her you are going to marry; nor to a "sword that is cracked or broken; nor to the son of 66 a powerful man; nor to a field that is newly sown. "Peace between malicious women is compared to 66 a horse who is made to walk over the ice not pro"perly shod; or to a vessel in a storm without a rùd"der; or to a lame man, who should attempt to fol"low the mountain-goats with a young foal, or year"ling mule. "He who would make himself beloved by a maiden, "must entertain her with fine discourses, and offer "her engaging presents: he must also incessantly "praise her beauty. It requires good sense to be a "skilful lover. "There is no malady or sickness more severe, than "not to be content with one's lot. "The heart alone knows what passes within the heart: and that which betrays the soul, is the soul "itself. " If This is not unlike the English Proverb, " Praise the Bridge that "carries you safe over." T. "If you would bend your mistress to your passion, you must only go by night to see her. When a "thing is known to a third person, it never succeeds. "Seek not to seduce another's wife with the allu"ring charms of Runic incantations. "Be humane and gentle to those you meet travel"ling in the mountains, or on the sea. "He who hath a good supper in his travelling wal"let, rejoices himself at the approach of night. << Never discover your uneasiness to an evil person, "for he will afford you no comfort. "Know, that if you have a friend, you ought to vi"sit him often. The road is grown over with grass, "the bushes quickly spread over it, if it is not con"stantly travelled. "Be not the first to break with your friend. Sor66 row gnaws the heart of him who hath no one to advise with but himself. "Obsequiousness produces friends: but it is vile in"deed to flatter one's own self. "Have never three words of dispute with the "wicked. The good will often yield up a point, "when the wicked is enraged and swollen with pride. "Nevertheless, it is dangerous to be silent when you are reproached with having the heart of a woman ; "for then you would be taken for a coward. "I advise you, be circumspect, but not too much : "be so, however, when you have drunk to excess; " when "when you are near the wife of another; and when you find yourself among robbers. "Do not accustom yourself to mocking; neither laugh at your guest, or a stranger: they who re"main at home often know not who the stranger is "that cometh to their gate, dw.to Where is there to be found a virtuous man with"out some failing? or one so wicked as to have no good quality. "Laugh not at the gray-headed declaimer, nor at "thy aged grandsire. There often come forth from "the wrinkles of the skin, words full of wisdom. "The fire drives away diseases; the oak expels the 66 stranguary: str straws dissolve inchantments*: Runic "characters destroy the effect of imprecations: the "earth swallows up inundations; and death extin "guishes hatred and quarrels." * Hence probably is derived the custom of laying two straws crosswise in the path where a witch is expected to come. T. VOL. II. X THESE |