FAMILIAR QUOTATIONS GEOFFREY CHAUCER. 1328-1400. (From the text of Tyrwhitt.) WHANNE that April with his shoures sote The droughte of March hath perced to the rote. And smale foules maken melodie, Line 9. Line 69. He was a veray parfit gentil knight. Line 72. He coude songes make, and wel endite. Line 95. Ful wel she sange the service devine, Entuned in hire nose ful swetely; And Frenche she spake ful fayre and fetisly. A Clerk ther was of Oxenforde also. Line 122. Line 287. Line 295. And gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche. Nowher so besy a man as he ther n' as, His studie was but litel on the Вinie. For gold in phisike is a cordial; Wide was his parish, and houses fer asonder. Line 323 Line 110. Line 445. Line 493. This noble ensample to his shepe he yaf, - Line 1524. The Knightes Tale. Line 1044. That field hath eyen, and the wood hath ears.2 Up rose the sonne, and up rose Emelie. Line 2275. 1 In allusion to the proverb, "Every honest miller has a golden thumb.' 2 Fieldes have eies and woodes have eares. - HEYWOOD: Proverbes part ii. chap. v. Wode has erys, felde has sigt. — King Edward and the Shepherd, MS Circa 1300. Walls have ears.— HAZLITT: English Proverbs, etc. (ed. 1869) p. 446. Min be the travaille, and thin be the glorie. To maken vertue of necessite.1 Live 3408 Line 3044 1 Also in Troilus and Cresseide, line 1587. To make a virtue of necessity. SHAKESPEARE: Two Gentlemen of Verona, aci iv. sc. 2. MATTHEW HENRY: Comm. on Ps. xxxvii. DRYDEN: Palamon and Arcite. In the additions of Hadrianus Julius to the Adages of Erasmus, he remarks, under the head of Necessitatem edere, that a very familiar proverb was current among his countrymen, "Necessitatem in virtutem commu tare" (To make necessity a virtue). Laudem virtutis necessitati damus (We give to necessity the praise of virtue).-QUINTILIAN: Inst. Orat. i. 8. 14. 2 Haste makes waste. - HEYWOOD: Proverbs, part i. chap. ii. Nothing can be done at once hastily and prudently.-PUBLIUS SYRUS: Maxim 357. 3 Ease and speed in doing a thing do not give the work lasting solidity or exactness of beautv.- PLUTARCH: Life of Pericles. 4 E'en in our ashes live their wonted fires. - GRAY: Elegy, Stanza 23. 6 Frieth in her own grease. - HEYWOOD: Proverbs, part i. chap. xi. 6 To see and to be seen. - -BEN JONSON: Epithalamion, st. iii. line 4. GOLDSMITH: Citizen of the World, letter 71. Spectatum veniunt, veniunt spectentur ut ipsæ (They come to see; they come that they themselves may be seen).-OVID: The Art of Love I hold a mouses wit not worth a leke, That hath but on hole for to sterten to.1 Canterbury Tales. The Wif of Bathes Prologue. Line 6154 Loke who that is most vertuous alway, The Frankeleines Prologue. Line 10998. Truth is the highest thing that man may keep. The Frankeleines Tale. Line 11789. Full wise is he that can himselven knowe.* The Monkes Tale. Line 1449. 1 Consider the little mouse, how sagacious an animal it is which never entrusts his life to one hole only. - PLAUTUS: Truculentus, act iv. sc. 4. The mouse that always trusts to one poor hole Can never be a mouse of any soul. POPE: Paraphrase of the Prologue, line 298. 2 Handsome is that handsome does. - GOLDSMITH: Vicar of Wakefield, chap. i. 3 Hee must have a long spoon, shall eat with the devill. - HEYWOOD: Proverbes, part ii. chap. v. He must have a long spoon that must eat with the devil. - SHAKESPEARE: Comedy of Errors, act iv. sc. 3. 4 Thales was asked what was very difficult; he said, "To know one's DIOGENES LAERTIUS: Thales, ix. self." Know then thyself, presume not God to scan; The proper study of mankind is man. POPE: Epistle ii. line 1. |