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196

MISCELLANEOUS ERRORS.

From the rising of the Dog star, the ancients computed their canicular days; concerning which there is an opinion, that during those days all physic should be declined, and the cure committed to nature: this season is called the Physician's vacation.

It was formerly believed, that the tenth wave was more dangerous, and the tenth egg larger, than any other.

The ring was formerly worn on the fourth finger of the left hand, from a supposition that a particular nerve in that part communicated with the heart.

Fovargue includes in his "Catalogue of Vulgar Errors," the notion of Londoners, that they have wit enough to impose on countrymen. "This error," says he, " chiefly proceeds from the outward appearance of countrymen, when they arrive at the metropolis. They are struck with the grandeur of the place, and on that account keep their heads up in the air, as if they were contemplating some phenomenon in the heavens. Then, their clothes being calculated for strength and wear, or spun thick, which gives them a stiff aukward gait, and this is not a little augmented by the robust labour they daily undergo. This aukwardness, joined to an absence which the contemplation of any thing fine is sure to beget, make high diversion for the Londoners, who are apt to put tricks upon them, and tax them with want of apprehension."-pp. 92-3.

The same author also reckons among Vulgar Errors, that the Italian Opera consists of effeminate music; that nothing is poetry but what is in rhyme; that kicking up the heels behind, and twisting round on one leg, is fine skating; that the more ammunition is put into a fowling-piece, the more execution it will do; and that using hard words and long sentences is a proof of scholarship.

ANALYSIS

OF THE

WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS,

AND OF THE

Fathers of the Church.

AVANT-PROPOS.

"The Wisdom of the Ancients !"-umph! I fancy I see JEREMY BENTHAM turn up his nose at this proëmium. I confess, I am no great admirer of the ancients—their taciturnity, their contempt of riches, the scurvy manner they treated the women, their pride, and affected love of solitude-though the last has been extolled by the Caledonian phenomenon―are not congenial to my taste. But there is always danger in passing from one extreme to another. It was the fashion of the two last centuries to exalt the ancients to the skies→→→→ we imbibed the idolatry with Greek and Latin at Eton and the Universities,but now, forsooth, they are to be placed on a level with the Goths and Vandals. This is too bad. Mr. BENTHAM will hardly deny, that the few maxims here culled out of their writings, contain at least many sound principles on government, legislation, and human life--and even that the Most Holy and Reverend Fathers, St. Augustine, St. Bernard, St. Chrysostome, St. Basil, and the rest, have furnished hundreds of good precepts, by which a man may choose a wife, eat, drink, and sleep, and go through life generally, as well now as two thousand years ago, allowing a little for the change of manners and the seasons.

SELECT SAYINGS AND MAXIMS

OF THE

ANCIENTS AND FATHERS OF THE CHURCH.

ANGER.

MILDNESS governs more than anger.- Publius Syrus.
No man is free who does not command himself.-Pythagoras.
He who cannot command himself, it is folly to think to
command others.-Laberius.

He injures the absent who contends with an angry man.-
Publius Syrus.

An angry man is again angry with himself, when he returns to reason.-Publius Syrus.

Women are sooner angry than men, the sick than the healthy, and old men than young men.-Hermes. ›

He overcomes a stout enemy, that overcomes his own anger. Chilo.

He best keeps from anger, who remembers that God is always looking upon him.-Plato.

An angry man opens his mouth and shuts his eyes. Cato.

The anger of a good man is the hardest to bear.-Publius Syrus.

ANCESTORS.

What can the virtues of our ancestors profit us, if we do not imitate them?

Great merits ask great rewards, and great ancestors virtuous issues.

To be of noble parentage, and not to be endowed with noble qualities, is rather a defamation than a glory.

MANNERS.

Be not too brief in conversation, lest you be not understood; nor too diffuse, lest you be troublesome.-Protagoras. We must not contradict, but instruct him that contradicts us; for a madman is not cured by another running mad also.Antisthenes.

To a man full of questions make no answer at all.-Plato. Such as give ear to slanderers are worse than slanderers themselves.Domitian.

He conquers twice, who conquers himself in victory.-Publius Syrus.

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. Solomon.

He is well constituted who grieves not for what he has not, and rejoices for what he has.-Democritus.

Impose not a burden on others, which thou cannot bear thyself.-Laberius.

A cheerful manner commonly denotes a gentle nature; whereas, a sour countenance is a manifest sign of a froward disposition.-Anon.

Consider pleasures as they depart, not as they come.-Aris

totle.

Such as are careless of themselves can hardly be mindful of

others.-Thales.

Sobriety without sullenness is commendable, and mirth with modesty delectable.

Nothing is more hard to honest people, than to be denied the liberty of speaking their minds.

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