"Tue dignity of proverbs," says old Ray, the greatest collector of these jewels of speech, "is self-evident, They "gro not to be reckoned insignificant trifle, only fit for school-boys, since "the most learned among the ancients studied and recorded them in lasting "monuments of fame, and transmitted "them to their successors as the most memorable instructions of human life, "either in point of regular conduct "or common prudence., Platarch, Theo-"phrastus, Plate, and Erasmus, with "many others, thought the knowledge "of them a-memorable study."
Most students of national charac. teristics are ready to endorse these remarks with entire approval, and even to go farther. We glean a large insight into the customs and habits of thought of a nation by examining their proverbial expressions. Useful sidelights are thrown on the history and philosophy and state of civilization of a country through these little windows, for they are coloured by the experience, the passions; or the faith of the common ple.
Most of us remember the pleasure we derived from opening for the first time Trench's delightful little volume on Proverbs. The work was written by a master of the subject; and the ight thrown upon the topic was so bright and vivid, that proverbs have assumed a now interest for us ever since. A fow years ago, Mr. Scarborough published an important collection of Chinese aphorisms, though be was unfortunately less guarded than he shawld have been in his selection and earlier in the day, Sir John Bowring drew attention, by an article in the Ohinese Repository, to the pungent flavour of these bits of concentrated wisdom.
We have before us a small collection of Japanese Proverbs, and we confess that many of them strike us as peculiarly happy in their allusions and pointed in their expression. The same ideas present themselves in the proverbs of all nations, for there is a strong likeness between various members of the grent human family; and, as has been well said, we see " in-most of them the clear reflection of that human heart which beats responsive beneath the toga, the camel's hair raiment, the broadcloth, and the silk haori." We must not expect to find in the sayings of the Japanese the knowledge of the world, the quaint cynical philosophy, and the insight into the folded intricacies of the human heart, which render the prov-orbs of the Spaniards so pre.eminent in keen-edged wit and universality of application. Neither do we find the solemn gravity of the Arabic aphorisms, which are coloured by the sombre fatalism of the creed of Islam. The bright happy characteristics of the Jupanese, and perhaps their superficiality, are apparent in many of the proverbs that have been dug up for us. Dake specimens "The world is just as a person's heart makes "The beat thing in travelling is a companion; in the world, kindness."
"Live under your own hat."
Excess of politeness becomes impoliteness."
There is a strain of pensive reflection and a sterner vein in the following sickens; the beautiful woman is let him live."
"HHearing is Paradise; seeing is "The fortune-teller cannot tell his own fortune."
"The doctor dyes not keep himself well."
The saying that " One homicide makes a murderer; millions a hero," appears in a Japanese dress thus: "Who steals money is killed; who steals a country ian king;" and the Biblical phrase, "Firm as the laws of the Medes and Persians," becomes coarsened: "The decree of the Mikado is like perspire. tion; it can never go back."
The Ohinese proverb, "Any iron will make a nail, and any man a soldier," has its equivalent in the Japanese phrase, "Famous swords are made of iron scrapers." Dr. Johnaon's celebrated "bow-wow" definition of nonsense: "Sir, it is nonsense to bolt the door with a boiled carrot," has a parallel in the saying, "You cannot rivet nail in potatoe custard." And we fancy some story akin to that of the Persian Sultan, in Dr. Hawks-worth's "Guardian," underlies the Japanese mot, "Catching a thief to find him your own son anda very noble sentiment finds compact express sion in the proverb, "The gods have their seat on the brow of a just man."
These are specimens of the proverbs that enrich the talking of the goasipy, bright-hearted Japanese in tes-house and barber's shop, at village revel and in the busy purlieus of popular temples—evidences of the versatile variety and lively wit of the national disposition.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.