[444] Le soleil lui-même, n'a-t-il pas des taches?
[445] Il n'est si bon charretier qui ne verse.
[446] À bon pêcheur échappe anguille.
[447] Bon nageur de n'être noyé n'est pas sûre.
[448] Erra il prete all' altare.
[449] Quien quisiere mula sin tacha, andese á pie.
[450] A chi fa male mai mancano scuse.
[451] Ein schlechter Schüz der keine Ausrede findet.
[452] Vallestero que mal tira, presto tiene la mentira.
[453] Bel colpo non ammazzò mai uccello.
[454] Ogni scusa è buona, pur che vaglia.
[455] Ogni scusa è buona, quando non si vuol far alcuna cosa.
[456] Achaques al viernes por no le ayunar.
[457] Chi è in difetto, è in sospetto.
[458] Chi ha coda di paglia ha sempre paura che gli pigli fuoco.
[459] Non recordar il capestro in casa dell' impiccato.
[460] Il ne faut pas parler de corde devant un pendu.
[461] L'espoir du pendu, que la corde casse.
[462] Qui se sent galeux, se gratte.
[463] Qui se sent morveux, se mouche.
[464] Qui capit, ille facit.
[465] Qui s'excuse, s'accuse.
FALSE APPEARANCES AND PRETENCES, HYPOCRISY, DOUBLE DEALING,
TIME-SERVING.
=Appearances are deceitful.=[466]
"Always judge your fellow-passengers to be the opposite of what
they strive to appear to be. For instance, a military man is not
quarrelsome, for no man doubts his courage; but a snob is. A clergyman
is not over-straitlaced, for his piety is not questioned; but a cheat
is. A lawyer is not apt to be argumentative; but an actor is. A woman
that is all smiles and graces is a vixen at heart: snakes fascinate.
A stranger that is obsequious and over-civil without apparent cause
is treacherous: cats that purr are apt to bite and scratch. Pride is
one thing, assumption is another; the latter must always get the cold
shoulder, for whoever shows it is no gentleman: men never affect to be
what they are, but what they are not. The only man who really is what
he appears to be is--a gentleman."[467]
The Livonians say, "The bald pate talks most of hair;" and, "You may
freely give a rope to one who talks about hanging."
=All is not gold that glitters.=
Yellow iron pyrites is as bright as gold, and has often been mistaken
for it. The worthless spangles have even been imported at great cost
from California. "Every glowworm is not a fire" (Italian).[468] "Where
you think there are flitches of bacon there are not even hooks to hang
them on" (Spanish).[469] Many a reputed rich man is insolvent.
=Much ado about nothing.=
="Great cry and little wool," as the fellow said when he sheared the
pig.=
="Meikle cry and little woo'," as the deil said when he clipped the
sow.=--_Scotch._
"The mountain is in labour, and will bring forth a mouse" (Latin).[470]
=Likely lies in the mire, and unlikely gets over.=--_Scotch._
Some from whom great things are expected fail miserably, while others
of no apparent mark or promise surprise the world by their success.
=You must not hang a man by his looks.=