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506. BENEFICIUM.

obligation.

(L.)-A favour; kindness.

Benefaction;

Sen.

(1.) Quid est ergo beneficium? Benevola actio tribuens gaudium,
capiensque tribuendo, in id quod facit prona, et sponte sua
parata. Itaque non quid fiat, aut quid detur, refert, sed qua
mente. (L.) Sen. Ben. 1, 6.—A favour is a kind action con-
ferring and receiving pleasure by the mere act of giving, and done
from a prompt and spontaneous inclination of the giver; so that
the gift or benefit itself is not of so much importance as the
spirit in which it is done. (2.) Beneficium non in eo quod fit
aut datur, consistit, sed in ipso dantis aut facientis animo.
Sen. Ben. 1, 6.-A favour does not consist in the service done
or given, but in the spirit itself of the man who confers it. (3.)
Gratissima sunt beneficia, parata, facile occurrentia, ubi nulla
mora fuit, nisi in accipientis verecundia. Sen. Ben. 2, 1.
-The most acceptable favours are those which are prompt,
quickly forthcoming, and where there is no hesitation, except it
arise from the modesty of the recipient. (4.) Tempore quædam
magna fiunt, non summa. Sen. Ben. 3, 8.-The greatness
of gifts depends not so much in the amount, as the time when
they are given. (5.) Primum est antecedere desiderium cujus-
que; proximum, sequi. Sen. Ben. 2, 1.-The best thing is
to anticipate a person's wants; the next best to grant them.
(6.) Illud melius, occupare antequam rogemur; quia quum
homini probo ad rogandum os concurrat, et suffundatur rubor,
qui hoc tormentum remittit, multiplicat munus suum.
Ben. 2, 1.-The better way is to forestall a petition; because
when an honest man has to frame his lips to ask a favour, he
is covered with blushes, and to relieve him of this torture is
greatly to enhance your benevolence. (7.) Ingratum est bene-
ficium, quod diu inter manus dantis hæsit, quod quis ægre
dimittere visus est; et sic dare, tanquam sibi eriperet. Sen.
Ben. 2, 1.-A benevolence loses its grace, if it cling so long to
the hand of the giver, that he seem to part with it with diffi-
culty, and gives it at last as though he were robbing himself.
(8.) Benefacta male locata, malefacta arbitror. Enn. ap. Cic.
Off. 2, 18, 62.-Favours injudiciously conferred I consider
as so much injury. Indiscriminate charity. (9.) Sunt quæ-
dam nocitura impetrantibus; quæ non dare, sed negare, bene-
ficium est. Sen. Ben. 2, 14.- Where the gifts would be
injurious to those who seek them, to refuse instead of granting,
is a real kindness. (10.) Nullum beneficium esse duco id,
quod, quoi facias, non placet. Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 12.-1 do
not consider that a kindness, which gives no pleasure to the man
you show it to. (11.) Non est dicendum, quid tribuerimus. Qui
admonet, repetit nisi ut aliud dando, prioris admoneas.
Sen. Ben. 2, 11.-Do not tell what you have given. То
remind a man of his obligations, is to seek a return: only by
repeating a benevolence, is it allowable to call former bounties
to mind. (12.) Beneficium dedisse qui dicit, petit. Pub.
Syr. Who talks of the favours he has given, is seeking
one himself. (13.) Un bienfait reproché tint toujours lieu
d'offense. (Fr.) Rac. Iphig. 4, 6.-To reproach a man with your

favours is tantamount to an affront. (14.) Ne aliis quidem narrare debemus; qui dedit beneficium, taceat: narret qui accepit. (L.) Sen. Ben. 2, 11.- We should not tell to others what we give: let him who gives keep silence, and he only publish it who has received. (15.) Un bienfait perd sa grace à le trop publier. (Fr.) Corn. Theod. 1, 2.-A favour loses its grace by publishing it too loudly.

(16.) Crede mihi, quamvis ingentia, Postume, dona:

Auctoris pereunt garrulitate sua.

(L.) Mart. 5, 52, 7.

Great are your gifts, but when proclaimed around
The obligation dies upon the sound. -Hay.

(17.) Beneficia eo usque læta sunt, dum videntur exsolvi
posse; ubi multum antevenere, pro gratia odium redditur.
Tac. Á. 4, 18.-Favours are only acceptable, where it appears
possible to requite them; but when they pass all bounds of a
return, they produce hatred in lieu of gratitude. (18.) Un
service au dessus de toute récompense à force d'obliger tient
presque lieu d'offense. (Fr.) T. Corn. Suréna, 3, 1.-A service
which exceeds all possibility of returning it, becomes an obligation
so great that it almost amounts to an injury. (19.) Leve æs
alienum debitorem facit, grave inimicum. (L.) Sen. Ep. 19.
-A small debt makes a man your debtor, a large one makes
him your enemy. (20.) Qui grate beneficium accepit, primam
ejus pensionem solvit. Sen. Ben. 2, 22.-To accept a kind-
ness with gratitude, is to take the first step towards returning
it. (21.) Qui libenter accepit, reddidit. Sen. Ben. 2, 30.
-To accept a favour cheerfully, is to requite it. (22.) Qui
gratus futurus est statim dum accipit, de reddendo cogitat.
Sen. Ben. 2, 25.-The man who would be grateful for a
favour begins to think how he may return the kindness, as soon
as he receives it. (23.) Discamus beneficia secure debere, et
occasiones reddendorum observare, non manu facere: hane
ipsam cupiditatem primo quoque tempore liberandi se, mem-
inerimus ingrati esse. Sen. Ben. 6, 41.-Learn to owe an
obligation unconstrainedly, and to watch for an opportunity of
repaying the favour, so as to avoid acting in too pronounced a
manner. The over-anxiety to seize the first possible moment for
quitting one's self of a debt of kindness is, remember, the act of
an ungrateful man. (24.) Beneficia dare qui nescit, injuste
petit.? Pub. Syr.-He who cannot perform a kind act, is un-
reasonable if he expects to receive one. (25.) Beneficia plura
recipit qui scit reddere. ? Pub. Syr.-He receives most favours
who knows how to return them. (26.) Beneficium accipere
libertatem vendere est. Decim. Laber. ?-To accept an
obligation, is to barter one's liberty.

507. Beneficium invito non datur. (L.)-No obligation can be imposed upon a man who refuses to receive it.

508. Bene merentibus. (L.)-To the well deserving. Motto of Orders of the Lion of Lemberg (Austrian) and of St Charles of Wurtemberg.

509. Bene mones; tute ipse cunctas. (L.) Enn. ap. Non. 469, 25.—You give good advice, but you are slow to follow it yourself.

510. Benignæ faciendæ sunt interpretationes propter simplicitatem laicorum, ut res magis valeat quam pereat; et verba intentioni, non e contra, debent inservire. (L.) Law Max.-A liberal construction should be put upon written instruments in consideration of the ignorance of the unlearned, so as to make them operative if possible, and carry out to the fullest extent the intention of the parties.

511. Benignior sententia in verbis generalibus seu dubiis, est preferenda. (L.) Law Max.-In cases where the meaning is too general, or is doubtful, a liberal construction is to be preferred. Maxim relating to the interpretation of documents.

512. Benignus etiam dandi causam cogitat. (L.) Prov.-A benevolent man will weigh even the grounds of his liberality.

513. Berretta in mano non fece mai danno.

in hand never yet did a man harm.

thrown away.

(It.) Prov.-Cap Politeness is never

514. Besser ein magrer Vergleich als ein fetter Process. (G.) Prov.-A lean compromise is better than a fat lawsuit. 515. Besser ist besser. (G.) Prov.-Better is better.

516. Bêtes-à-couronne. (Fr.) Mme. de Coeslin. - Crownedanimals. Crowned-heads, royalties, princes.

517. Bien vengas mal, si vienes solo. (S.) Prov.-Welcome, misfortune, if thou comest alone. But (alas!) misfortunes never come singly.

518. Bis. (L.)-Twice. Proverbial Sayings depending on: (1.) Bis gratum est, quod dato opus est, ultro si offeras. (L.) Pub. Syr. 44. If you proffer spontaneously what you have to give, it is doubly acceptable. (2.) Inopi beneficium bis dat, qui dat celeriter. Pub. Syr. 235.-He gives a double favour to a poor man, who gives quickly. Hence (3.) Bis dat qui cito dat.-He gives twice, who gives at once. (4.) Bis peccare

in bello non licet.-It is not allowed to make a mistake in war more than once. (5.) Bis ad eundem (scil. lapidem offendi). Cic. Fam. 10, 20, 2.-To commit the same fault twice. (6.) Bis est mori, alterius arbitrio mori. Pub. Syr. 50.-It is twice dying, to die at the will of another. (7.) Bis vincit qui se vincit in victoria. Pub. Syr. ?-He conquers twice who conquers himself in the moment of victory.

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519. Bisogna amar l'amico con i suoi difetti. (It.)—We must love our friend with all his defects. We must take him, failings and all.

520. Blanc-bec. (Fr.)-A youngster. A green-horn.

521. Blandus Honos, hilarisque, tamen cum pondere, Virtus. (L.) Statius, S. 2, 3, 65.-Courteous Honour and glad, yet dignified, Virtue.

522. Bœotum in crasso jurares aere natum. (L.) Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 244.-You would swear that he was born in the thick air of the Baotians. Thick-headed, undiscriminating, doltish.

Derbyshire born and Derbyshire bred,

Strong in the arm and thick in the head."

523. Bologna la grassa, Firenze la bella, Genova la superba, Lucca l'industriosa, Mantua la gloriosa, Milano la grande, Padova la forte, Pavia la dotta, Verona la degna. (It.) -Bologna the rich (or fat), Florence the beautiful, Genoa the superb, Lucca the busy, Mantua the glorious, Milan the grand, Padua the strong, Pavia the learned, Verona the worthy. The celebrated cities of North Italy, with their distinguishing titles.

524. Bona fide, or ex bona fide. (L.)-In good faith. True, genuine, reliable. Used as an adjective. (Cf. Lewis and Short, Lat. Eng. Dict., s.v. Fides II., 2.)

525. Bona malis paria non sunt, etiam pari numero; nec lætitia ulla minimo mærore pensanda. (L.) Plin. 7, 40, 41, § 132.-The blessings of life do not balance its ills, even in point of number; nor can any degree of joy compensate even the slightest degree of grief.

526. Bona nemini hora est, ut non alicui sit mala. (L.) Pub. Syr. The hour that brings happiness to one, brings sorrow to another.

527. Bona notabilia. (L.) Law Term.-Goods to the value of £5, whereof if a man died possessed in two dioceses, his will must be proved before the Metropolitan of the Province. (2.) Bona vacantia.-Goods without owner, or lost goods.

528. Bon avocat, mauvais voisin. (Fr.) Prov.-A good lawyer is a bad neighbour. His argus-eyed vigilance, backed up by his legal knowledge, is likely to take advantage of his neighbours' ignorance and indifference in such matters, and may lead to great annoyance.

529. Bon chien chasse de race. (Fr.) Prov.-A well bred dog

hunts by nature.

530. Bon gré, mal gré. (Fr.)—Whether you will or no. Willy

Nilly.

531. Bon jour, bon œuvre. (Fr.) Prov.-The better the day, the better the deed.

532. Boni judicis est ampliare jurisdictionem. (L.) Law Max. It is a judge's duty, when necessary, to amplify the limits of his jurisdiction. Lord Mansfield suggested that justitiam should be read for jurisdictionem; the principle of English law being to "amplify its remedies, and, without usurping jurisdiction, to apply its rules to the advancement of substantial justice." Cf. Bonus judex secundum æquum et bonum judicat, et æquitatem stricto juri præfert. It is the duty of a judge to base his decisions upon what is right and just, and to prefer equity to a too rigid interpretation of the

statute.

533. Boni pastoris est tondere pecus, non deglubere. (L.) Suet. Tib. 32, fin.-It is the duty of a good shepherd to shear his sheep, not to flay them. Attributed to Tiberius propos of excessive taxation.

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534. Bonis avibus. (L.) Ov. F. 1, 513.-Under good auspices. 535. Bonis quod benefit haud perit. (L.) Plaut. Rud. 4, 3, 2.-Acts of kindness shown to good men are never thrown

away.

536. Bonne bouche. (Fr.)-A nice morsel. A tit-bit, reserved. as a gratification for the last mouthful.

537. Bonne renommée vaut mieux que ceinture dorée. (Fr.) Prov. A good name is better than a girdle of gold.

538. Bono ingenio me esse auctam quam auro multo mavolo: Aurum in fortuna invenitur, natura ingenium bonum. Bonam ego quam beatam me esse nimio dici mavolo. (L.) Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 90.-I had much rather be endowed with a good disposition than with gold. Gold is found by chance, a good disposition is the gift of nature. I had much rather be called good than fortunate.

539. Bonum est, pauxillum amare sane, insane non bonum est. (L.) Plaut. Curc. 1, 3, 20.-It is good to be moderately and wisely in love; to be madly in love is not good.

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