The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (54 page)
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blessed
BLESSINGS brighten as they take their flight
Cf.
1732
T. FULLER
Gnomologia
no. 989 Blessings are not valued, till they are gone.
1742
Night Thoughts
II. 37
How blessings brighten as they take their flight.
1873
‘’
What Katy Did
xi.
Blessings brighten as they take their flight. Katy began to appreciate for the first time how much she had learned to rely on her aunt.
1929
Square Mark
i.
It has been said that one never knows one's blessings until one has lost them.
blessings
;
gains and losses
1732
T. FULLER
Gnomologia
no. 989 Blessings are not valued, till they are gone.
1742Night Thoughts
II. 37
How blessings brighten as they take their flight.
1873
‘’
What Katy Did
xi.
Blessings brighten as they take their flight. Katy began to appreciate for the first time how much she had learned to rely on her aunt.
1929
Square Mark
i.
It has been said that one never knows one's blessings until one has lost them.
blessings;
gains and losses
There's none so BLIND as those who will not see
Parallel to
there's none so DEAF as those who will not hear
. In both proverbs,
will not
has the force of ‘does not wish to’ or ‘refuses to’.
1546
Dialogue of Proverbs
II. ix. K4
Who is so deafe, or so blynde, as is hee, That wilfully will nother here nor see.
1551
Answer to Gardiner
58
There is no manne so .. blynd as he that will not see, nor so dull as he that wyll not vnderstande.
1659
Examen Historicum
145
Which makes me wonder .. that having access to those Records .. he should declare himself unable to decide the doubt … But none so blind as he that will not see.
1738
Polite Conversation
III. 191
You know, there's none so blind as they that won't see.
1852
Polonius
58
‘None so blind as those that won't see.’.. A single effort of the will was sufficient to exclude from his view whatever he judged hostile to his immediate purpose.
1942
Murder by Yard
i.
There's none so blind as he who will not see any one except his wife.
1980
Dover beats Band
xv.
‘If a highly trained copper .. can't tell who the murderer is—’ ‘There's none so blind.’
ignorance
;
obstinacy
there's none so DEAF as those who will not hear
. In both proverbs,
will not
has the force of ‘does not wish to’ or ‘refuses to’.
1546Dialogue of Proverbs
II. ix. K4
Who is so deafe, or so blynde, as is hee, That wilfully will nother here nor see.
1551
Answer to Gardiner
58
There is no manne so .. blynd as he that will not see, nor so dull as he that wyll not vnderstande.
1659
Examen Historicum
145
Which makes me wonder .. that having access to those Records .. he should declare himself unable to decide the doubt … But none so blind as he that will not see.
1738
Polite Conversation
III. 191
You know, there's none so blind as they that won't see.
1852
Polonius
58
‘None so blind as those that won't see.’.. A single effort of the will was sufficient to exclude from his view whatever he judged hostile to his immediate purpose.
1942
Murder by Yard
i.
There's none so blind as he who will not see any one except his wife.
1980
Dover beats Band
xv.
‘If a highly trained copper .. can't tell who the murderer is—’ ‘There's none so blind.’
ignorance;
obstinacy
When the BLIND lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch
Now more common in the metaphorical phrase,
the blind leading the blind
. With allusion to
MATTHEW
xv. 14 (AV) Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
c
897
Gregory's Pastoral Care
(EETS) i.
Gif se blinda thone blindan læt, he feallath begen [both] on énne pytt.
c
1300
Body & Soul
(1889) 49
Ac hwanne the blinde lat the blinde, In dike he fallen bothe two.
1583
Philotimus
165
In the ditch falls the blind that is led by the blind.
1678
Pilgrim's Progress
I. 99
That Ditch is it into which the blind have led the blind in all Ages, and have both there miserably perished.
1836
Sartor Resartus
II. iii.
It is written, When the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch … May it not sometimes be safer, if both leader and led simply—sit still?
1908
Olde permaquid
12
If the blind lead the blind, the ditch is but a little way on.
1947
Eustace & Hilda
xvi.
To get Hilda out of the house was a step forward, even in a Bath chair .. even if they could see nothing beyond their noses, the bind leading the blind.
ignorance
;
rulers and ruled
the blind leading the blind
. With allusion to
MATTHEW
xv. 14 (AV) Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
c897
Gregory's Pastoral Care
(EETS) i.
Gif se blinda thone blindan læt, he feallath begen [both] on énne pytt.
c
1300
Body & Soul
(1889) 49
Ac hwanne the blinde lat the blinde, In dike he fallen bothe two.
1583
Philotimus
165
In the ditch falls the blind that is led by the blind.
1678
Pilgrim's Progress
I. 99
That Ditch is it into which the blind have led the blind in all Ages, and have both there miserably perished.
1836
Sartor Resartus
II. iii.
It is written, When the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch … May it not sometimes be safer, if both leader and led simply—sit still?
1908
Olde permaquid
12
If the blind lead the blind, the ditch is but a little way on.
1947
Eustace & Hilda
xvi.
To get Hilda out of the house was a step forward, even in a Bath chair .. even if they could see nothing beyond their noses, the bind leading the blind.
ignorance;
rulers and ruled
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