Note 3 — LECTURE I. THE FORM AND DEFINITION OF A PROVERB.

The very shortest proverb which I know in the world is this German: Voll, toll; which sets out very well the connexion between fulness and folly, pride and abundance of bread. In that seeking of extreme brevity noted above, they sometimes become exceedingly elliptical, (although this is the case more with the ancient than with the modern,) so much so as to omit even the vital element of the sentence, the verb. Thus: Χρήματ’ ἀνήρ;— Sus Minervam;—Fures clamorem;—Meretrix pudicam;—Amantes amentes.