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and great and heavy as the calamities have been which that period has brought forth to many nations, it is probable that the results of that time, at least, may hereafter be regarded in Europe as beneficial, by the awakening of vigour, and by calling into full exercise the exertion of all those powers and passions which strengthened the earlier ages of society, and which experience has shown us must also be the support of old kingdoms and of states, that have been not shook, but consolidated, by time.

1

OLD FREEZELAND PROVERBS.

It may amuse some of our readers (particularly our Scotch ones,) to see a few of the Proverbs of Freezeland in their native attire, and accompanied, firstly, with a perfectly literal translation into Dutch; secondly, with a tolerably literal one into English or Scotch. The close kindred of these people will be more strikingly illustrated by these thoughts and these words, than by any long-winded dissertation. Many of the Sayings, however, will be new to the reader, and some of these not the least amusing.

[We take them from a very learned work, entitled, "Taalkundige aanmerkungen op jenige Oud-Friesche Spreekwoorden, door Mr Jacob Henrik Hoeufft. Breda 1815."]

I.

F. Aad jold, aad hae, aad brae,

Stiet een wol ti stae.

D. Ould jeld, oud hooi, oud brood,

Staat jemand wel te stade.

That is-Old gold, old hay, old bread,

Stands one in good stead.

II.

F. Aade honnen is quae bilyin* to leeren.

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D. Oude honden is kwaad bassen te leeren.* i. e. It is hard to make the old dog bark.

III.

F. Aade foxen binnen quæ to fœn.

D. Oude vossen zijn kwaad te fangen.+

i. e. Old foxes are ill to take.

IV.

F. Aade wagners heere jern het klappen fin de swype. D. Oude wagenaars hooren gaarne het klappen van zweepe.

i. e. Old coachmen (waggoners) hear with yearning the crack of the whip.

V.

F. Alman's frioun is alman's gick.
D. Allemans vriend is allemans gek.
i. e. Allmen's friend is allmen's joke.

F. Bræd by die licht,

Tzys by de wicht.

D. Brood bij de ligt,

Kaas bij de wigt.

VI.

i. e. Bread that's light

But cheese of weight.

VII.

F. Better yne fuwyle‡ sang,

*Te leeren-to learn.

Te fangen-to seize-we have fang, n. s.

Fuwyle and vogel are both of the same origin with our fowl.

Dan yne herren klangh. D. Beter in de vogelgang Dan in der heeren klang.

i. e. Better bird's song

Than lordly throng.

VIII.

F. Better ien blyn hynst* as ien leegh helter. D. Beter een blind paard, dan een leeg halter. i. e. Better is a blind horse than an empty halter.

F. De onbesorghde byt
Mecket de hals wyt.

D. De onbezorghde beet

Maakt den hals wit.

IX.

i. e. 'Tis the sorrowless bite

Makes the halset white.

X.

F. Deer erste compt, deer erste maelt.
D. Die eerst kompt, die eerst maalt.

i. e. Our own, "First come, first served;"

Or, more literally,

"Who first comes, he first gets his meal.”

XI.

F. Deer de nunt wol yte‡ motze krecke.

D. Die de noot wil eeten, moetze kraaken.

Hynst, horse. The Saxon invader, Hengist, had his name from this root.

+ Halse is Scotch for neck.

Wol yte: wil eeten: anglice will eat.

i. e. Whoso likes the nut well

Must crack the shell.

XII.

F. Dir de herren ryden, stuwt de molde.
Daer de bedlers donsje, stuwe de lape.
D. Daar de heeren rijden stuife de wolde.*
Daar de bedelaars dansen stuiven de lappen.
i. e. Where gentles ride, dust flies.

Where beggars dance, rags rise.

XIII.

F. Eyn hird is goud wird.

D. Eigen haard is goud waard.

i. e. (Scotice) Ane's ain hearth is goud's worth.

XIV.

F. Een stien kan allinne nin mool mælje.

D. Ein steen kan alleen

geen meel maalen.

i. e. The mill-stone alone, meal makes none.

XV.

F. Fier fin haws, heyn by sin scho.
D. Ver van huis, dicht↑ by zijn schade.
i. e. Far from home, is near to harm.

XVI.

F. Folle wynen dwa de hase dad.

* Stuift and stuwt are both from the same root with stour, the Scotch for "flying dust." Staub is the German. Molde is dust. We have moulds in the Scotch for clods. Bedelaar and Bedler are of the same family with bede, old English for a prayer or petition, and bedesman: lappen, and lape, again, are of kin to flap and lappets. + Dicht, close. The same word with our thick.

Wynen. Hounds are so called in this dialect from their wind.

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