The Italians are wise before the fact, the Germans in the fact, the French after the fact. Italian.1

The Italians are known by their singing, the French by their dancing, the Spaniards by their lording it, and the Germans by their drinking.— Italian.2

Where Germans are, Italians like not to be. - Italian.

Italy, heads, holidays, and tempests. — Italian.4

A gentleman, who visited Dublin in the O'Connell times, gave it as the result of his experience there that Ireland was a land of groans, grievances, and invitations to dinner.

He that has to do with a Tuscan must not be blind. — Italian.5

There is a double meaning in the original. The

same Italian word means Tuscan and poison.

It is better to be in the forest and eat pine cones than to live in a castle with Spaniards. — Italian.6

Because the frugal Spanish soldiers could subsist on diet on which men of other nations would starve.

For

1 Gl' Italiani saggi innanzi il fatto, i Tedeschi nel fatto, i Francesi dopo il fatto.

2 L'Italiano al cantare, i Francesi al ballare, i Spagnuoli al bravare, i Tedeschi allo sbevacchiare, si conoscono.

* Dove stanno Tedeschi, mal volontieri stanno Italiani.

Italia, teste, feste, e tempeste.

5 Chi ha da far con Tosco, non vuol esser losco.

E meglio star al bosco, e mangiar pignuoli, che star in castello co' Spagnuoli.

66

them Bread and radishes were a heavenly dinner (Spanish).1

Abstract from a Spaniard all his good qualities, and there remain. a Portuguese.—Spanish.

Every layman in Castile might make a king, every clerk a pope.

-Spanish.

If the overweening pride of the Spaniard appears in these two proverbs, the candour of the following must also be acknowledged :

Succours of Spain, either late or never. —Spanish.2

Things of Spain. - Spanish.8

That is, abuses, anomalies, and faults of all kinds. See "Ford's Handbook," passim.

When the Spaniard sings, either he is mad or he has not a doit.

-Spanish.4

A Pole would rather steal a horse on Sunday than eat milk or butter on Friday.-German.5

Poland is the hell of peasants, the paradise of Jews, the purgatory of burghers, the heaven of nobles, and the gold mine of foreigners.-German.6

1 Pan y ravanillos, comer de Dios.

Socorros de España, ó tarde, ó nunca.

3 Cosas de España.

Quando el Español canta, ó rabia, ó no tiene blanca.

• Ein Pole würde eher am Sonntag ein Pferd stehlen, als am Freitag Milch oder Butter essen.

• Polen ist der Bauern Hölle, der Juden Paradies, der Burger Fegefeuer, der Edelleute Himmel, und der Fremden Goldgrube.

A Polish bridge, a Bohemian monk, a Swabian nun, Italian devotion, and German fasting are worth a bean. - German.]

If the devil came out of hell to fight there would forthwith be a Frenchman to accept the challenge. - French.2

When the Frenchman sleeps the devil rocks him. French.8

The Italians weep, the Germans screech, and the French sing.

French.4

This is found word for word in Italian also, though it seems devised for the special glorification of FrenchThe Portuguese say,

men.

The Frenchman sings well when his throat is moistened.

-Portuguese.5

The Germans have their wit in their fingers. — French.6

That means they are skilful workmen.

The emperor of Germany is the king of kings, the king of Spain king of men, the king of France king of asses, the king of England king of devils.— French.

་

'Eine Polnische Brücke, ein Böhmischer Mönkh, eine Schabische Nonne, Welsche Andacht, und der Deutschen Fasten gelten eine Bohne.

2 Si le diable sortait de l'enfer pour combattre, il se présenterait aussitôt un Français pour accepter le défi.

Quand le Français dort, le diable le berce.

1 Les Italiens pleurent, les Allemands crient, et les Français chantent.

Bein canta o Francez, papo molhado.

• Les Allemands ont l'esprit au doigts.

"L'empereur d'Allemagne est le roy des roys, le roy d'Espagne roy des hommes, le roy de France roy des asnes, et le roy d'Angleterre roy des diables.

It is better to hear the lark sing than the mouse creep. This was the proverb of the Douglases, adopted by every Border chief to express, as Sir Walter Scott observes, what the great Bruce had pointed out-that the woods and hills were the safest bulwarks of their country, instead of the fortified places which the English surpassed their neighbours in the art of assaulting or defending. The Servians have a similar saying: "Better to look from the mountain than from the dungeon."

He that has missed seeing Seville has missed seeing a marvel.

-Spanish.1

1 Quien no ha vista Sevilla, no ha vista maraviglia. 2 Vedi Napoli e poi mori.

* Il n'y a qu'un Paris.

له

A