comprising all the existing observations on human nature, natural phenomena, and local history. Men acquired wisdom, not from books, but oral communications. All the apparatus of the modern system of education-Horn-books, Reading Made Easys, and Pleasing Instructors, were unknown. Children did not learn their alphabet, nor their catechism; but an adult system prevailed, in which grown persons were taught the arts of life the mysteries of good house-keeping, of economy, longevity, husbandry, and meteorology, in some traditionary maxim, handed down from generation to generation, time out of mind.

The effect seems to have been much the same as under the modern system of instruction; and human conduct, influenced by similar motives, exhibited similar peculiarities. There are, indeed, certain truths constantly operating in the world, as unchangeable as the principles of nature. Time and space have no effect upon them. They are alike palpable in all ages-are the same now, as they were at the beginning, and will be unto the end of time. These universal and intuitive perceptions are comprised in the PROVERBS Of NaTIONS; which we find, among every people, to inculcate similar notions of justice, the moral duties, of love and friendship. The progress of knowledge, local situation, and institutions, may refine and modify them; but, substantially they are the same truths, whether circulated in familiar aphorisms among the people, or delivered from the university chair, disguised in the subtleties of a Hume or Reid, or the more popular disquisitions of a Paley, Johnson, or Addison.

By the operation of some absurd impression, PROVERBS have for a long time been kept in the back ground in fashionable society. LORD CHESTERFIELD said, a man of fashion has never recourse to proverbs and vulgar aphorisms;" and they appear to have "withered away under the ban of his anathema." But it is yielding too much to a name, to proscribe the most valuable intellectual treasure that has been transmitted by former ages, to the dictum of a courtier. Men of fashion, in the days of Elizabeth, James, and Charles, had recourse to proverbs and aphorisms; and in the splendid court of Louis XIV. the illustration of popular adages formed the subject of dramatic entertainments. So far then, as fashion can confer authority, we are justified, from the example of these periods, in their use: but it may be demonstrated, that no other species of knowledge has such a momentous influence on the affairs of life-on the conduct of individuals and the history of nations. I will cite a few examples, for the purpose of illustration, of proverbs that have been the most influential in society, and which are constantly at work either for great good or evil.

"What the eye sees not, the heart feels not !"

How many men, and women too, have been determined in a guilty course, from this single sentence ! Again, there is another saying, which has contributed not a little to people the world, and is a far more formidable antagonist of the doctrines of MALTHUS, than either COBBETT or GODWIN:

"God never sends mouths without meat!"

It has been the misfortune of many to find the con

trary of this; but it still forms a cardinal point in the creed of the labouring classes; and I am sure it has been my fate, many hundred times, to hear it repeated by fruitful dames-and laugh at its absurdity.

Mortui non mordent.

"Dead men do not bite."

This fatal truth has sealed the doom of many an unhappy wretch, by determining the last resolve of the traitor, burglar, and assassin. We cannot look into the annals of crime, or the page of history, without meeting with examples of the deadly application of this proverb. It was applied by Stewart, against the Earl of Morton in Scotland, and subsequently to the Earl of Strafford and Archbishop Laud, in England; and I am pretty sure, from some faint impressions left in the course of reading, I could, by an historical research, multiply these instances a hundred fold.

* Ding down the nests, and the rooks will flee away,"

is a Scottish historical proverb, which gave an edge to the furor of the Covenanters and Cameronians, to the destruction of the architectural grandeur of the Romish church; and made JOHNSON lament, over many ruined colleges and eathedrals, the Vandal rage of fanaticism at the Reformation. I will only cite another instance, and it is a recent one, still fresh in the memory of many of us.

Tunc tua res agitur paries, cum proximus ardet!

"When thy neighbour's house is on fire, beware of thine own!"

This is a proverb of great antiquity; it is in both Ray and Kelly's Collections, and was forcibly applied at the commencement of the great political drama of modern history. The apprehension of danger from the example

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of France extending to neighbouring states, was a princi pal pretext for the war of 1793; and the above precautionary maxim was incessantly repeated by the partizans of hostilities. A parallel, and more recent case, occurs in the late flagitious invasion of Spain by the French, which was undertaken on the alleged ground of guarding against the neighbouring contagion-not of French, but Spanish democracy!

I could cite more instances; but must refer the reader to the PROVERBS themselves, where he will find abundant examples of the application of popular sayings on important occasions.

It is supposed there are 20,000 proverbs circulating among the nations of Europe, many of them borrowed rom the ancients, chiefly Greek, who themselves took them largely from the Eastern nations-and how prodigious must be the effect of this collective wisdom of ages on the public mind, daily and hourly operating, and divided into so many thousand popular maxims, influencing the conduct of individuals, of all ranks, on every occasion in the affairs of life! It would be a puerile feeling, indeed, to affect to despise this intellectual treasure, or consider its history unworthy of investigation. Shall we overlook the most precious legacy of former times, stamped with the approval of ages-when the most trifling mutilated fragment of ancient sculpture, or literature, is sought after with avidity, and extolled to the skies? When we are endeavouring to revive the almost forgotten beauties of the elder writers, shall we neglect their most precious remains-the elite of their wit, choice sayings, and acquaintance with life? I think

it is impossible. But we need not resort to adventitious reasoning to establish our argument. I appeal to the little volume now submitted to the public, for proof of the importance and utility of proverbial knowledge. It is impossible, I think, to read the sections on Virtue, Economy, Love, and Public Affairs, without being convinced that, at least, three-fourths of the practically operating knowledge in the world consists of proverbs; and that it is not books, but the OLD SAYINGS, which regulate human conduct. I can bear testimony of their value, from experience-from the benefit I have derived, while collecting the materials of this work— and I freely confess, that many things which I had incautiously treasured up, as the original thoughts of other writers, I have since discovered to be only old truths, expanded from some forgotten adage!

"I am of opinion, Sancho," says the renowned knight of La Mancha," that there is no proverb which is not true, because they are all sentences drawn from experience itself, the mother of all the sciences." LAVATER, in his Aphorisms, says, that "the proverbial wisdom of the populace in the streets, on the roads, and in the markets, instructs the ear of him who studies man, more fully than a thousand rules ostentatiously displayed."

Another distinguished writer of the present day eloquently observes, on the same subject: "Proverbs embrace the wide sphere of human existence, they take all the colours of life, they are often exquisite strokes of genius, they delight by their airy sarcasm or their caus tic satire, the luxuriance of their humour, the playfulness of their turn, and even by the elegance of their ima