A devourer of beans. The man is become fat, was used to be said, by feeding on beans. Applying it to persons who had accepted a bribe, to put in his bean, which was their mode of voting, in favour of one of the candidates for a public office or magistracy. The manners therefore of the present times, if they are not mended in this respect, are not worse than they were formerly.

Hunger, if not speedily satisfied, or any unseasonable delay in obtaining what we earnestly desire, excites the bile in the nostrils. To raise or heat the bile, is used metaphorically for inflaming the passions; and as some men, and many animals, are observed to inflate or blow out their nostrils when angry, it is said to excite the bile in that organ. The bull, when enraged, is described as breathing fire from his nostrils, and of the horse it is said, «the glory of his nostrils is terrible». The impatience with which we support delay in gratifying our expectation is beautifully painted by Solomon in the following: « Hope deferred, maketh the heart sick, but when it is accomplished, it is a tree of life».

The Corinthian may, indeed, boast of the splendour of his city, but the soft and rustic beauties of Tenia please and satisfy me; may be said by any one, on hearing the praise of rank and large possessions too much insisted on, if he has sense enough to be contented and to see the advantages of a middling station. Tenea was a village in the neighbourhood of Corinth, remarkable for its mild and salubrious atmosphere, and for the beauty of its scenery.

May be said when any one has incautiously given information which may be turned to the disadvantage of themselves or their friends. Do you see what consequences may follow, what mischief may ensue? You have opened a door to a thousand evils.

Two of a trade can never agree, each of them fearing to be excelled by his rival. This passion might be turned to their mutual advantage, if they should be thence induced to labour to excel each other in their art. It would then become, «Cos ingeniorum», a whetstone to their wit. But it more often expends itself in envying and endeavouring to depress their rivals.
«The potter hates another of the trade,
If by his hands a finer dish is made;
The smith, his brother smith with scorn doth treat,
If he his iron strikes with brisker heat».

«Etiam mendicus mendico invidet».

«It is one beggar's woe,
To see another by the door go».

The passion is found also among animals, «Canes socium in culina nullum amant», or «Una domus non alit duos canes», the dog will have no companion in the kitchen, and «Mons cum monte non miscebitur», two proud and haughty persons are seldom found to agree.

If there were no fire, there could be no smoke. Common fame is seldom to blame. All that we have heard may not be true, but so much could not have been said, if there were no foundation. We should avoid the first approach to vice, or danger; though small at first, it may increase to an alarming magnitude. The smoke may soon be succeeded by flame. He who would keep his morals untainted, must not associate familiarly with the debauched and wicked.

«Vice is a monster of such frightful mien,
As to be hated needs but to be seen;
But seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first admire, next pity, then embrace».

The fox, when he first saw a lion, ran from him in great terror but meeting one a second, and then a third time, he had courage enough to approach, and salute him. The Spaniards and the French use the proverb somewhat differently. Cerca le anda el humo, tras la llama, and Il n'y a point de feu sans fumée, where there is fire, there will be some smoke; that is, where any foul action has been committed, it will by some outlet or other escape, and become known, Murder will out, we say.

The conquered lament their hard fate, and the conqueror is undone: a no uncommon consequence of war, in which, though the conqueror may not be reduced to the low state of his opponent, yet he usually finds his country so weakened by the conte'st, so drained of men and money, that it scarcely recovers itself in an age. The same often happens, on the termination of a suit at law. The adage took its rise from the result of the battle at Cheronæa, in which the Athenians and Thebans were destroyed; and Philip, of Macedon, who conquered them, was soon after assassinated, by a young man of the name of Pausanias.

Fly from that man, he has hay on his horns. This is said of persons of morose, quarrelsome, and malevolent dispositions, with whom it is dangerous to associate; alluding to the custom of fixing whisps of hay to the horns of vicious oxen. «Hic est niger, hunc tu, Romane, caveto». This is a dangerous fellow, beware of him.

Fortune assists the brave, «sed multo majus ratio», Cicero adds, but reason or consideration, is still more to be depended on; therefore, «antequam incipias consulto, et ubi consulueris, facto opus est», that is, think before you act, but having well considered, and formed your plan, go on resolutely to the end. To design well, and to persevere with vigour in the road we have chalked out for ourselves, is the almost certain way to attain our object. «At in rebus arduis», but in great and sudden difficulties, a bold and courageous effort will frequently succeed, where reason or deliberation could give no assistance, for «non est apud aram consultandum», when the enemy is within the walls, it is too late for consultation. When dangers urge he that is slow, Takes from himself, and adds to his foe. And, Quien no se aventura, no ha ventura, nothing venture nothing have. The proverb has been pretty generally adopted. A los osados ayuda la fortuna, the Spaniards say; and the French La Fortune aide aux audacieux. Which being the same as the Latin, need not to be explained.

By this enigmatical expression, that the forehead in which the eyes are placed, precedes the hind-head; the ancients meant to shew, that all business may be expected to be best performed, if attended to by the persons who are to be benefited by it. A philosopher being asked by his neighbour, what would best fatten his horse? answered «the eyes of its master», as his presence would make his fields most fertile and productive, the foot of the owner being the best manure for his land. «Cuando en casa no está el gato, extiendese el ratón», that is, When the cat is away, the mice will play. T. Livius, on the same subject, says, «Non satis feliciter solere procedere, quæ oculis agas alienis», that business is not likely to go on well, which is committed to the management of strangers. The Italians, French, and Spaniards, as well as ourselves, have adopted the answer given by the philosopher, among their proverbs, viz. L'occhio del Padrone, ingrassa il cavallo. It. L'oeil du maitre engraisse le cheval. Fr. El ojo del amo engorda el caballo. Sp. that is, The eye of the master makes the horse fat. A lusty man riding on a lean and sorry jade, being asked how it happened that he looked so well, and his horse so ill, said, it was because he provided for himself, but his servant had the care of the beast.
The word prior in the adage, is used in the sense of potior, or melior, better.

It is in vain that he possesses that of which he makes no use. Of what use are horses or carriages to persons who never go abroad, of wit or knowledge to those who do not employ them in the management of their affairs, or of money to the avaricious, who are averse to, or afraid of spending it, even for necessary sustenance.

That is, should any one call Hercules a coward, who would listen to him? The- adage was applied to anyone speaking ill of persons of known and approved integrity and character. When Cato, whose worth had been often tried, was accused of avarice; this, Plutarch said, was as if any one should reproach Hercules with want of courage.

The Milesians were once a brave and hard people. «Troja fuit». The magnificent city of Troy once existed, though no vestiges even of the ruins of its walls and temples now remain. I was once rich and powerful, but am now poor, miserable, and wretched; condemned to serve where I formerly commanded; may be said, particularly at this moment, by many fallen potentates; fallen, most or all of them, by their own misconduct and mistaken notions of government. For the great changes which have taken place in the condition of the princes of Europe could never have been effected, if their self-indulgences and want of energy in the exercise of their high authorities, frequently the consequence of a voluptuous life and wrong principles of action, had not co-operated, unfortunately, too powerfully with the force of their conqueror and brought on their ruin: they were enslaved by their inordinate passions which led to the oppression of their subjects, and was ultimately the occasion of losing their affections. The people were in the situation of the overloaded ass in the fable, who, when told to hasten for there were robbers at hand, answered, it mattered little whom he served since he must still carry his panniers. But to pursue my theme: I was once young, strong, and vigorous, may be said, but am now old, feeble, and decrepid. These reflections, though trite, may still have their utility; for as they teach us, by shewing what has happened, to expect reverses in our state, they tend to enforce upon us the propriety of using our prosperity with moderation. The Milesians, who have long since ceased to be a people, were not conquered by their enemies, until they had left off to be strong and courageous; until luxury, the consequence of their success, and opulence, had enervated and enfeebled them.

It is stealing sand from the sea shore, may be said to persons taking home with them, and prizing things of no value, and which are neglected and daily trodden under our feet.