Motte-It is by study that we become contemporaries of every generation, and citizens of every country. 685. C'est plus qu'un crime, c'est une faute. (Fr.)—It is worse than a crime, it is a blunder. Said by Fouché (Minister of Police under the First Empire) of the execution of the Duc d'Enghien. The saying is often attributed to Talleyrand. 686. C'est posséder les biens que de savoir s'en passer. (Fr.) Regnard, Joueur, 4, 13.-To be able to do without things amounts to possessing them. Cf. Sen. Ep. 29. Summæ opes, inopia cupiditatum. (L.)— 687. C'est souvent hasarder un bon mot et vouloir le perdre, que de le donner pour sien: il n'est pas relevé, il tombe avec des gens d'esprit, ou qui se croient tels, qui ne l'ont pas dit, et qui doivent le dire. C'est, au contraire, le faire valoir que de le rapporter comme d'un autre. Il est dit avec plus d'insinuation, et reçu avec moins de jalousie. (Fr.) (Fr.) La Bruy. Car. vol. ii. p. 84.—A good saying often runs the risk of being missed and thrown away when it is quoted as the speaker's own: having nothing to set it off, it falls somewhat flat with those who are or who claim to be witty, and should have said it themselves, only they have not done so. On the contrary, it enhances a good saying to report it of a third person. It is told with greater insinuation, and received with less jealousy. 688. C'est une grande difformité dans la nature qu'un vieillard (Fr.) La Bruy. Car. vol. ii. p. 50.—An amoureux. old man in love is a monstrous anomaly. 689. C'est une grande folie de vouloir être sage tout seul. (Fr.) La Rochef. Max. p. 61, § 238.-It is a great piece of jolly to wish to be wise all alone. He must be silly indeed who insists on holding the only right view of things in the face of universal public opinion the other way. 690. C'est une grande misère que de n'avoir pas assez d'esprit pour bien parler, ni assez de jugement pour se taire. Voilà le principe de toute impertinence. (Fr.) La Bruy. Car. vol. i. p. 84.—It is a great misfortune not to possess talent enough to speak well, nor sufficient tact to hold one's tongue. All impertinences have no other origin than this. 691. C'est une sphère infinie, dont le centre est partout, la circonférence nulle part. (Fr.) Pascal, Pensées.-It (i.e., the universe) is an infinite sphere, the centre of which is everywhere, and the circumference nowhere. But the idea was borrowed from Rabelais (Pantagruel, 5, 47), who says of the intellectual sphere: "De laquelle en tous lieux est le centre, et n'a en lieu aucun circonférence, que nous appellons Dieu." It is besides attributed to St Bonaventure (1250), Gerson (1400), and others. 692. C'est un foible roseau que la prosperité. (Fr.) Daniel D'Anchères, 1608, Tyr et Sidon.-Prosperity is but a feeble reed to lean upon. 693. C'est un grand pas dans la finesse, que de faire penser de soi, que l'on n'est que médiocrement fin. (Fr.) La Bruy. Car. It is a great proof of address in negotiation, to induce those with whom you treat to under-rate your acuteness. 694. C'est un verre qui luit Qu'un souffle peut détruire, et qu'un souffle a produit. (Fr.) De Caux (comparing the world to his hour-glass). -It is but a glittering glass that a breath can destroy, as a breath has created it. Cf. Goldsmith, Deserted Village, 54: A breath can make them, as a breath has made. 695. C'est un zéro en chiffres. (Fr.)-He is a mere cypher. He is a person of no consequence or consideration whatever. 696. Cet âge est sans pitié. (Fr.) La Font. Deux Pigeons.This age (childhood) is without pity. Children have no mercy. They roar for what they want at the expense of the weaker nerves of their seniors. Observe also their treatment of animals (kittens and such like). 697. Cet animal est très méchant, Quand on l'attaque il se défend. (Fr.) La Ménagerie. -This animal is extremely vicious, if you attack him he will defend himself! Burlesque on a passage from L'Histoire Générale des Voyages, Walckenaer, 1826, recounting the adventures of Vasco de Gama and his comrades amongst some "sea-wolves" of an extraordinary size, and armed with tremendous teeth. "Ces animaux," it proceeds, "sont si furieux, qu'il se défendent contre ceux qui les attaquent." It is difficult to say which is the most ludicrous, the serious prose or the burlesque verse. 698. Ceux qui n'aiment pas, ont rarement de grandes joies; ceux qui aiment, ont souvent de grandes tristesses. (Fr.) -Those who know not what love is, rarely experience great joys; and those who do, frequently suffer deep griefs. 699. Ceux qui nuisent à la réputation ou à la fortune des autres, plutôt que de perdre un bon mot, méritent une peine infamante. (Fr.) La Bruy. Car. Those who would injure the reputation, or the fortunes of others, rather than lose a witty saying, deserve to be branded as infamous. 700. Ceux qui, sans nous connaître assez, pensent mal de nous ne nous font pas tort; ce n'est pas nous qu'ils attaquent, c'est le fantôme de leur imagination. (Fr.) La Bruy. Car. vol. ii. p. 77.-Those who, without adequate knowledge, form unfavourable opinions of us, do us no wrong; since it is not us whom they are attacking, but the creation of their own imagination. 701. Chacun à son goût. (Fr.)-Every man according to his taste. This is not to be translated-"Every man has the gout." 702. Chacun dit du bien de son cœur, et personne n'en ose dire de de son esprit. (Fr.) La Rochef. Max. p. 44, § 98.—Every one can say a good word for his heart, but no one is bold enough to say as much for his wits. Want of feeling we naturally disclaim, not so readily want of perception. 703. Chacun doit balayer devant sa propre porte. (Fr.) Prov. -Everybody ought to sweep before his own door. 704. Chacun en particulier peut tromper, et être trompé; personne n'a trompé tout le monde, et tout le monde n'a trompé personne. (Fr.) Bouhours?-An individual may deceive and be deceived, but no one has ever yet succeeded in deceiving the whole world, nor has the world ever combined to deceive any individual. If the Christian world is persuaded of the truth of Christianity, the conviction is not the result of deceit, but because the most educated portion of mankind is convinced of the truth of the Gospel. In the same way, the general agreement of men on any subject may be taken as a guarantee of its truth. The unanimity is too large to admit of the idea of fraudulent intention. Cf. in this connection the French Prov., Quand tout le monde a tort, tout le monde a raison (La Chaussée, Gouvernante, 1, 3). When every one is in the wrong, every one is in the right. - 705. Chacun à son métier, et les vaches seront bien gardées. (Fr.) Prov.-Every one attend to his own business, and the cows will be well looked after. 706. Xaλerà Tà κaλά. (Gr.)-What is beautiful is hard. All Χαλεπὰ fine accomplishments are difficult of attainment. 707. Chaque âge a ses plaisirs, son esprit, et ses mœurs. (Fr.) Boil. A. P. 3, 374.-Every age has its pleasures, its style of wit, and its own ways. 708. Chaque médaille a son revers. (Fr.) Prov.-Every medal has its reverse. There's another side to every tale. One story is good till another is told. 709. Xápis xápiv TíKTEL. (Gr.) See Soph. Aj. 522.-Kindness begets kindness. 710. Charité bien ordonnée commence par soi-même. (Fr.)— Well regulated charity begins at home. 711. Chasse cousin. (Fr.)-Chace-cousin, i.e., bad wine. Such as one would put down to drive away poor relations, or the description of persons called hangers-on. 712. Châteaux en Espagne. (Fr.)-Castles in Spain. Castles in the air. 713. Chat échaudé craint l'eau froide. (Fr.) Prov.-A scalded cat dreads even cold water. A burnt child dreads the fire. 714. Chef d'œuvre. (F.)-A masterpiece. The best work of any painter, poet, etc. 715. Che non men che saver, dubbiar m'aggrata. (It.) Dante, Inf. 11, 93. Ignorance not less than knowledge charms.-Cary. 716. Chercher à connaître, c'est chercher à douter. (Fr.)-To wish to know is to wish to doubt. Knowledge which is not guided by faith generally ends in scepticism. Cf. Vous ne prouvez que trop que chercher à connaître, You prove but too clearly that seeking to know 717. Cherchez la femme. (Fr.) Alex. Dumas père, Mohicans de Paris, vol. ii. cap. 16.-Search for the woman. Say ing put into the mouth of an officer of the Paris Detective Sardou introduces the phrase in his drama Ferréol; and George Du vergisst, dass hier eine Frau mit im Spiel ist. You forget that there is a woman in this case. Sometimes the expression takes the form of Où est la femme ? 718. Che sarà, sarà. (It.) Prov.-What will be, will be. Motto of the Duke of Bedford, Earl Russell, Lord Ampthill, and Lord de Clifford. 719. Chevalier d'industrie. (Fr.)—A swindler. A man who lives by his wits. A sharper. 720. Chi compra ha bisogno di cent occhi, Chi vende n'ha assai di uno. (It.) Prov.-He who buys requires an hundred eyes, while he who sells has occasion only for one. 721. Chi compra terra, compra guerra. (It.) Prov.-Who buys land, buys war (trouble); who buys soil, buys moil. 722. Chi é causa del suo mal, pianga se stesso. (It.)—Let him who is the cause of his own misfortunes bewail his own folly. No one else will pity him. 723. Chi fa il conto senza l'oste, gli convien farlo due volte. (It.) -He who reckons without his host must reckon over again. 724. Chi ha il lupo per compagno, port' il cane sotto il mantello. (It.)-He who keeps company with a wolf should carry a dog under his cloak. 725. Chi lingua ha, a Roma va. (It.)-He who has a tongue goes to Rome. He who has a tongue in his head may go anywhere. 726. Chi mal commincia peggio finisce. (It.) Prov.-He who begins badly, generally ends worse. 727. Chi niente sa, di niente dubita. (It.) Prov. He who knows nothing, doubts nothing. It has been said of some that "they know too much for their peace." 728. Chi non ha testa abbia gambe. (It.)-He who has no head, should have legs. If you cannot save yourself by your head (wits), you must by your heels. |