
In this thoughtful collection the author brings together a series of lectures originally delivered to young men’s societies, weaving together the humble sayings that have shaped everyday life. He argues that proverbs are far more than simple chatter; they hold wit, wisdom, and a vivid imagination that reveal the character of a nation. By inviting listeners to pause and explore familiar and forgotten sayings, the work promises a fresh appreciation for the cultural treasure hidden in everyday language.
The speaker balances scholarly research with clear, engaging explanations, comparing English proverbs to those of other peoples and tracing their origins back through centuries. He avoids dense lists, instead illustrating each maxim with lively anecdotes that highlight its practical relevance. Listeners will come away with a deeper sense of how these compact verses have survived the tides of history, offering insight into human nature that remains strikingly current.
Full title
Proverbs and Their Lessons Being the Subject of Lectures Delivered to Young Men's Societies at Portsmouth and Elsewhere
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (200K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Larry B. Harrison, Mhairi Hindle and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Books project.)
Release date
2018-02-06
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1807–1886
A churchman with a deep love of language, this 19th-century scholar helped shape how English speakers think about words, meaning, and history. Alongside his religious work, he wrote poetry, biblical studies, and influential books on the English language.
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