Entre la bouche, et le verre,
Le vin souvent tombe a terre.
Many things happen between the cup and the lip, was the saying of a servant to his master, whom he saw anxiously tending a vine, from which he promised himself an abundant produce of excellent liquor, of which, however, he was not permitted to partake; for, at the moment he was about to taste the wine, the reward, as he thought, of his labour, he was told that a boar had broke into his vineyard, and was destroying his trees; running hastily to drive away the beast, it turned upon him, and killed him. We are hence taught, not to be too sanguine in our hopes of success, even in our best concerted projects, it too often happening that they fail in producing the intended advantages. De la mano a la boca, se pierde la sopa, is the same sentiment in Spanish. The adage may also be explained, as admonishing us to take time by the forelock, that is, not to let a present opportunity, or advantage, to pass by, a similar one may not again occur. Strike, therefore, while the iron is hot, and
He that will not when he may,
When he will he shall have nay.

Many hands make light work. This is too obvious to need being explained. Of the same kind are, Two heads are better than one, or why do folks marry? and in a multitude of counsellors, there is safety. But the opposite to this is no less true, and we say, too many cooks spoil the broth, and keep no more cats than catch mice; we know also that where too many men are employed in the same business, instead of helping, they often-times hinder each other.

«An nescis longas regibus esse manus?» «Kings», we say, «have long arms», they have also many eyes and ears, that is, they use the ministry of their many servants and dependents, both to discover what is done that may be prejudicial to their interest, and to punish the delinquents, whose crimes may by these means have been detected, though seated at the extremities of their dominions. Hence we say, by way of caution, to persons speaking too freely, on subjects that may give offence, do you not know that Les murs ont des oreilles? "Walls have ears." This sentiment is beautifully expressed in the Ecclesiastes "Curse not the king, no not in thy thought, and curse not the rich, in thy bedchamber, for a bird of the air shall carry thy voice, and that which hath wings, shall tell the matter." The number of spies and emissaries employed by Midas, king of Phrygia, who was a cruel tyrant, gave occasion to the fable of that prince's having asses ears. Antoninus Caracalla, a monster in wickedness, and therefore full of suspicion, not only was frequent in his application to augurs, and soothsayers, in the hope that by their means he might discover whether any designs were hatching against his life, but he made it a serious complaint against Providence, that he was not endowed with the faculty of hearing with his own ears, whatever was said of him: so impotent is the influence of wealth or eminence, in imparting happiness to the possessor, unless, like Titus, he employs them in diffusing blessings among the people. Paredes tienen oydos, et Tras pared, ni tras seto no digas tu secreto. Walls have ears, and behind a wall or a hedge do not tell a secret.

Men are often through the dread of some misfortune threatening them, so disturbed, and so completely deprived of judgment, as not to see, or be able to use the means, which, in a more easy and quiet state of their minds, would have been sufficiently obvious, and by which they might have avoided the evil, so that to standers by, they seem to have acted under some secret impulse, or to have been fascinated. It is fear that deprives the bird of the power of escaping the snake, if it has once caught its eye; not daring to turn its face from the frightful object, it necessarily every step it takes approaches nearer, and at length, deprived of all sense and power, falls into its jaws.

Quo timoris minus est, eo minus ferme periculi est.

Where there is the least fear, there is, for the most part, least danger; though the Spaniards say, Quien obra sin miedo, yerra su hecho, he who acts without fear, acts wrong; but the word «miedo», «fear», in this sentence, means only care, caution or attention.