The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (36 page)
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The BEST-laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley
Often used allusively in shortened form (see quots. 1911 and 1982).
Gang aft agley
means ‘often go awry’.
1786
Poems
140
The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, Gang aft agley.
1911
Letter
21 Sept. (1979) I. 305
I am sorry the bookbinding has gone pop. But there ‘The best laid schemes’ etc. etc.
1982
Murder at Tomorrow
(1983) vii.
I can't say I loved the man, but … I didn't expect to see him murdered. Well, the best-laid plans of mice and men … Who did it?
1996
Reader's Guide to Murder
xxvii. 179
But, like the man said, ‘The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.’
Intentions
;
wanting and having
Gang aft agley
means ‘often go awry’.
1786Poems
140
The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, Gang aft agley.
1911
Letter
21 Sept. (1979) I. 305
I am sorry the bookbinding has gone pop. But there ‘The best laid schemes’ etc. etc.
1982
Murder at Tomorrow
(1983) vii.
I can't say I loved the man, but … I didn't expect to see him murdered. Well, the best-laid plans of mice and men … Who did it?
1996
Reader's Guide to Murder
xxvii. 179
But, like the man said, ‘The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.’
Intentions;
wanting and having
The BEST of friends must part
Cf.
c
1385
CHAUCER
Troilus & Criseyde
v. 343 Alwey frendes may nat ben yfeere [may not be together].
1611
May-Day
IV. 70
Friends must part, we came not all together, and we must not goe all together.
1685
in
Publications of Prince Society
(1867) 10
But the dearest friends must part.
1784
Tour in USA
I. xxxvii.
Sooner or later, all, even the dearest of friends, must part.
1821
Kenilworth
I. xi.
‘You are going to leave me, then?’.. ‘The best of friends must part, Flibbertigibbet.’
1910
Sketches & Snapshots
212
But the best of friends must part, and it is time to take our leave of this .. high-souled cavalier.
1979
Darkness Visible
ii.
‘Aren't there going to be any more lessons?’.. ‘The best of friends must part.’
absence
;
friends
c
1385
CHAUCER
Troilus & Criseyde
v. 343 Alwey frendes may nat ben yfeere [may not be together].
1611May-Day
IV. 70
Friends must part, we came not all together, and we must not goe all together.
1685
in
Publications of Prince Society
(1867) 10
But the dearest friends must part.
1784
Tour in USA
I. xxxvii.
Sooner or later, all, even the dearest of friends, must part.
1821
Kenilworth
I. xi.
‘You are going to leave me, then?’.. ‘The best of friends must part, Flibbertigibbet.’
1910
Sketches & Snapshots
212
But the best of friends must part, and it is time to take our leave of this .. high-souled cavalier.
1979
Darkness Visible
ii.
‘Aren't there going to be any more lessons?’.. ‘The best of friends must part.’
absence;
friends
The BEST of men are but men at best
1680Letter
15 June in
Brief Lives
(1898) I. 12
I remember one sayeing of generall Lambert's, that ‘the best of men are but men at best’.
1885
Moon Lore
191
We can but repeat to ourselves the saying, ‘The best of men are but men at best’.
human nature;
virtue
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