The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (315 page)

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LEARNING is better than house and land
Similar in sentiment to
when HOUSE and land are gone and spent, then learning is most excellent
.
1773
in Goldsmith
She stoops to Conquer
A3
V
When ign'rance enters, folly is at hand; Learning is better far than house and land.
1800
Castle Rackrent
19 I..
thanked my stars I was not born a gentleman to so much toil and trouble—but Sir Murtagh took me up short with his old proverb, ‘learning is better than house or land’.
1859
Love & Fortune
8
‘Learning is better than house and land.’ A fact that I never could understand.
learning
;
property
LEAST said, soonest mended
c
1460
in
Remains of Early Popular Poetry
(1864) III. 169
Who sayth lytell he is wyse .. And fewe wordes are soone amend.
1555
Two Hundred Epigrams
no. 169
Lyttle sayde, soone amended.
a
1641
Scottish Proverbs
(STS) no. 946
Littl said is soon mended.
1776
John Buncle, Junior
I. vi.
Mum's the word; least said is soonest mended.
1818
Heart of Midlothian
I. vi.
A fine preaching has he been at the night .. but maybe least said is sunest mended.
1960
Fresh from Country
xii.
A quiet word .. should .. stop any further tale-bearing, and I really think it's a case of ‘least said, soonest mended’.
1992
Rather English Marriage
(1993) xvii. 289
He was tempted to go down and confront her, .. but he knew he was in the wrong. Least said, soonest mended: no good creating a fuss now.
discretion
;
speech and silence
;
tact

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