A tattered garment, which, if a man has the misfortune to be obliged to appear in, it being what is first seen and noticed, he is usually rejected, without trying whether, under that sordid and wretched outside, there may not lie talents, which might make him a valuable associate.

«Want is the scorn of every wealthy fool,
and wit in rags is turn'd to ridicule».

But this might be borne, and it might perhaps be in some measure compensated, if the contempt in which persons so accoutred are held, should incite in such as have abilities, so much industry and frugality, as might guarantee them from falling into a state of indigence, which is not so impracticable, as it is often supposed to be. But when men become indigent through misfortune, their distress is more than doubled, when they find that those who in their prosperity courted, now turn their backs upon them, and this, it is to be feared, is no uncommon case.

­—————«poverty,
when no ill else will do't, makes all friends fly».

Anciently, when any thing was rejected, and put away with contempt, it was said to be thrown away like a worn out and tattered garment. «Did you observe, how he turned up his nose at it?» is our more common phrase, when any thing is refused with disdain.

Like for like, or one good turn deserves another; we say also, give him a Rowland for his Oliver. Dionysius, having engaged a musician to entertain his company, to induce him to exert himself he promised to give him a reward proportioned to the amusement he should afford his guests; the singer, in the hope of obtaining a splendid present, selected some of his choicest pieces of music, which he performed with such excellent skill as to give entire satisfaction to the audience: on applying for his pay, he was told he had already received «par pari», like for like. The pleasure he had enjoyed in expecting the reward, balancing that which the company had received in hearing him sing; he had also the further satisfaction of hearing his performance highly extolled, which is too often the only emolument that men of genius are able to obtain for their labours.

As you have entered into the same vessel you must row together, as the boat will not go on smoothly and regularly unless you move your oars in concert: so neither must you expect any business in which you are engaged to succeed, unless all the parties concerned are agreed as to the manner of proceeding, and will act together.

Even the smoke of our own chimney shines brighter than the fire of a stranger's, for Home is home, though ever so homely. «Bos alienus subinde prospectat foras», the strange ox frequently looks to the door, ready to return to the home, whence he has been lately taken; and we know that dogs can scarcely, by any kindness, be prevented, from returning to the houses of their old masters. Chaque oiseau trouve son nid bien, the French say; and the Italians, Ad ogni uccello, il suo nido è bello, every bird prefers his own nest. As a comparatively small portion only of mankind can inhabit the temperate regions of the earth, or can acquire a larger portion of the goods of fortune, than are necessary for their subsistence, if this disposition to be contented with, and even to give a preference to our native soil, and our home, had not been implanted in us by Providence, the misery and distress, already so abundant in the world, would have been greatly increased. But we often carry this affection too far, and are thence led, not only to prefer our own possessions, as was noticed under the last adage, but to think too cheaply of, or even to despise those of our neighbours. This sort of prejudice is most seen in neighbouring countries, and cannot be better illustrated than by adverting to the contemptuous expressions used by the common people of this country when speaking of France, which, though one of the most fertile countries in the world, they seem to think that it scarcely produces sufficient for the sustenance of its inhabitants. This amor patriae is well described by Goldsmith in the following lines in his Traveller. «The shuddering tenant of the frigid zone, Boldly proclaims the happiest spot his own, Extols the treasures of his stormy seas, And his long night of revelry and ease. The naked savage panting at the line, Boasts of his golden sands, and palmy wine, Basks in the glare, or stems the tepid wave, And thanks his Gods for all the good they gave, Nor less the patriot's boast, where'er we roam, His first, best country ever is at home». The reader may not be displeased at seeing the following on the same subject. «Cling to your home, if there the meanest shed, Yield but a hearth and shelter to your head, And some poor plot, with fruitage scantly stored, Be all that Heaven allots you for your board; Unsavoured bread, and herbs that scattered grow, Wild on the river's brink, or mountain's brow; Yet e'en this cheerless mansion shall provide, More heart's repose, than all the world beside».

«Magister artis ingeniique largitor venter», venter, or the stomach, is the master of all art, and bestower of genius and invention. «Hunger», we therefore say, «will break through stone walls». «The stomach», Rabelais says, «only speaks by signs, but those signs are more readily obeyed by every one, than the statutes of senates, or the commands of monarchs». To answer is usseless, for El vientre ayuno, no oye ninguno, the stomach has no ears.
Persons who have no property but what is procured by their industry, on which they may subsist, will endeavour more diligently to improve their understandings, than those who, being amply endowed, find every thing provided to their hands, without labour. Crosses are ladders that do lead to heaven. Consonant to which the French say, Vent au visage rend un homme sage, wind in a man's face, that is, adversity, or trouble, makes him wise; and, «a pobreza no ay verguenca», poverty has no shame, that is, want makes men bold, and to descend to means, for their subsistence, which, in better circumstances, they would be ashamed to have recourse to. This, more than all other considerations, should induce every one Messe tenus propria vivere, to live within their means, to let their purse be their master.

Money masters all things. All things obey, or are subservient to money, it is therefore the principal object of our attention. «Sine me vocari pessimum, ut dives vocer», call me what you will, so you do but adimit me to be rich. «Nemo an bonus: an dives omnes quaerisum». When about to treat with or enter into business with anyone, we do not so much inquire whether he is a good, as whether he is a rich man; «Nec quare et unde? Quid habeat, tantum rogant», nor by what means he acquired his money, but only how much he actually possesses. Gifts, we say, break through stone walls, for what virtue is proof against a bribe? "He that has money in his purse, cannot want a head for his shoulders." That is, he will never want persons to advice, assist, and defend him. I danari fan correre i cavallo, it is money that makes the mare to go. Por dinero bayla el perro, the dog dances for money; and Quien dinero tiene, hazo lo que quiere, he that has money may have what he pleases. «Plate sin with gold, and the strong arm of justice cannot reach it; clothe it in rags, a pigmy straw will pierce it». Volpone in the comedy of that name, addressing his gold, says Such are thy beauties, and our loves, dear saint, Riches! Thou dumb god, that giv'st all men tongues; That canst do naught, and yet mak'st men do all things; The price of souls; even hell, with thee to boot, Is made worth heaven. Thou art virtue, fame, Honour, and all things else. Who can get thee, He shall be noble, valient, honest, wise." On the other hand, we are told, that Fortune makes those whom she most favours fools; "Fortuna nimium quem favet, stultum facit," and "Ubi mens plurima, ibi minima fortuna," those who abound in knowledge are usually most deficient in money. It has also been observed, that riches excite envy, and often expose the possessors of it to danger: the storm passes over the shrub, but tears up the oak by its roots. "God help the rich," we say,"the poor can beg." "Cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator," the thief who makes the rich man to tremble, excites no alarm in the breast of the beggar; he has nothing to lose. "Hence, robbers hance, to yonder wealthier door, Unenvied poverty protects the poor." "Non esse cupidum, pecunia est, non esse emacem, vectigal est," not to be covetous, to desire riches, is wealth; not to be extravagant or expensive, is an estate. Hence poverty has been called, the harbour of peace and security, where indisturbed sleep and undissemled joys do dwells. "Fidelius rident tuguria," the laughter of the cottage is more hearty and sincere than that of the court: great wealth therefore conduces but little to happiness: and "as he who has health is young; so he who owes nothing is rich." "Dantur quidem bonis, ne quis mala estimet; malis autem, ne quis nimis bona," riches are given to the good, St Austin says, that they may not be esteemed and evil; to the bad, that they may not be too highly valued.

Or, as Horace gives it,

–––«Incedis per ignes
Suppositos cineri doloso».

You are treading on hot ashes. You are engaged in a difficult and hazardous business. Take care, we say, you do not burn yourself, or, burn your fingers. Johnson uses the phrase, when entering on the lives of the poets, who lived near his time, or were his contemporaries; meaning, that by speaking freely of them, and giving his sentiments of their works there was danger of offending their friends or relatives. The adage may also mean, as you are treading on hot ashes, that is, are in jeopardy, get out of the business, conciliate the parties whom you have offended, as soon as you can, as you would run or hasten over a floor that is burning; the flame which is at present smothered, may burst out and destroy you. That this is also intimated, seems probable from the following.

Non incedis per Ignem.

You are not walking over a furnace, which was used to be said to persons appearing to be in great haste, but who had no urgent business.

Echar la soga tras el caldero. It is throwing the rope after the bucket, the helve after the hatchet, may be said to persons under misfortunes, who, instead of exerting themselves to recover what they have lost, give way to despair, and so suffer what remains of their property to be wrecked likewise.

Furor est post omnia perdere naulum.

But the adage is more immediately applicable to persons who have made an unsuccessful venture, who have taken goods to a country where they are little in request, or are valued at a very low price. Do not let them be destroyed, get, at the least, so much for them as will pay the freight;of a bad bargain we should make the best, and, half a loaf is better than no bread.

To live voluptuously like the Greeks, to be great topers. The phrase seems to have been used by the Romans to express their contempt of the soft and effeminate manners of the Grecians, particularly of that portion of them who had taken up their residence at Rome, and were probably the most worthless of the country, who were not able to get a living at home. These men, we are told, had the art, by flattery and by administering to the vices of the great, to make themselves so acceptable that scarcely any favour could be procured, or even any access to the nobles could be obtained but through them. Juvenal severely censures his countrymen for their attachment to these vermin:

«All Greeks are actors, and in this vain town,
Walk a short road to riches and renown.
Smiles the great man? they laugh with noisy roar;
Weeps he? their eyes with bidden tears run o'er.
Asks he a fire in winter's usual cold?
The warmest rugs their shivering limbs enfold.
Pants he beneath the summer's common heat?
Lo! they are bath'd in sympathetic sweat.
In vain the Roman would contest the prize,
For native genius arms the Greek with lies;
He, every moment of the night or day,
Mimics the great in all they look or say;
Loads their vain ear with praise that never tires,
And all their folly, all their trash admires».
Hodgson's Translation.

Johnson, in his imitation of the same satire, has transferred the censure to the French, who, he seems to think, had obtained the same influence here, the Grecians had at Rome:

«Obsequious, artful, voluble and gay,
On Britons' fond credulity they prey.
No gainful trade their industry can 'scape,
They sing, they dance, clean shoes, or cure a clap;
All sciences a fasting Monsieur knows,
And bid him go to hell, to hell he goes».

A fisherman, putting his hand hastily into his net, was wounded by the thorns on the backs of some of the fish; being thus caught, he said, I shall now become wiser: which is said to have given rise to the adage. "Bought wit," we say," is best;" it will certainly be more likely to be remembered, than that which is obtained without suffering some kind of loss or inconvenience. Hence also we say, "wit once bought, is worth twice taught." "El hombre mancebo, perdiendo gana seso," by losses and disappointment young men acquire knowledge.

Better one eye-witness than ten who only know a thing from hearsay; or, what we see with our own eyes, is rather to be believed than what we learn only from report, for "ver y creer," "seeing is believing," and "ojos que no ven, coraçon que no llora," "what the eye doth not see, the heart doth not rue."

Imitate the polypus. Change your plan of living according to circumstances, accomodate yourself to the dispositions of the persons with whom you are to live, or to form any intimate connection. "Become all things to all men." Brutus, that he might escape the malignancy of Tarquin, who had destroyed his father, and his brother, assumed the character of idiotcy, whence he obtained his name. His stratagem succeeded, no mischief being to be apprehended, as Tarquin supposed, from so degraded a being. He was therefore suffered to live, and in time became principally instrumental in freeing his country from the tyranny of the Tarquins, and in laying the foundation of a popular form of government, which continued upwards of 700 years. The proverb took its rise from a supposed power of the polypus of assuming the colour of any substance to which it adheres. When pursued it clings to the rocks, and taking the same colour, often escapes unnoticed.

Though present he is absent. This was said of persons who, engaged in thought, paid little or no attention to what was said or done in their company, which led them often into great absurdities. M. Bruyere in his Caractères, ou Mœurs de ce Siècle, has given an excellent description of an absent man, but too much in detail, though perhaps there may be but few of the instances he produces, which may not have occurred. It is admirably abridged in one of the papers of the Spectator.

II vaut mieux faire envie que pitié, it is better to be envied than pitied; for envy is the attendant on good fortune, as pity is of distress and misery.

«Envy will merit as its shade pursue.
Like that it serves to show the substance true».

Better an open enemy, than a false and deceitful friend, or than a friend who is too soft and easy, and too readily assents to whatever you propose, was frequently in the mouth of Cato. An enemy, by being a spy upon our actions, and by severely censuring our slightest errors, may make us cautious, and even lead us to reform any follies or vices we may have accustomed ourselves to, or indulged ourselves in. Philip of Macedon said the Athenian orators, who were incessant in their endeavours to excite the Grecians against him, had by the severity of their censures, conferred on him a lasting obligation, for they had taught him to look into and regulate his conduct in such a manner, as would conduce materially to the success of his enterprizes.

"A work well begun is half done," which has also been adopted by the Spaniards, the Italians, and the French. "Buen principio la mitad es hecho." Sp. "Chi ben commencia a la meta dell'opra finito." It. "Il est bien avancé, qui a bien commencé," he has made good progress in a business, who has begun it well. We often find great reluctance, and have much difficulty, in bringing ourselves to set about a business, but being once engaged in it, we usually then go on with pleasure, feeling ourselves interested in carrying it on to its completion. In morals, an earnest desire to be good, is in a great measure the means of becoming good.

Why take the antidote before you have swallowed the poison; why so solicitous to purge yourself from the imputation of a crime, before you are accused, or why censure the doctrines of a book before you have read and considered it?

Before the second crowing of the cock. Before the invention of dials, hour-glasses, and clocks, the crowing of the cock was much attended to, as announcing the dawn, at which time servants were expected to rise and begin their labours

Far from Jove, far from the thunderbolt. The countries at the greatest distance from the court or capital of a kingdom, being out of view, often escape much of the oppression, which those nearer at hand are obliged to submit to.