French Proverbs from 1611: Music and Dance

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[Amour apprend les asnes à danser:] [Pro.] Loue makes the cokes turne courtier.


[`A pain, & oignon trompette, ne clairon:] [Prov.] Hard fare, poore dyet, course Acates require neither State in the seruing, nor Musicke in the eating; or, the sound of forraine Trumpets is but seldome heard in a poore, and barren State.


[Avaller gros, & mascher dru:] [Prov.] (As we say,) to stumble at a straw, and leape ouer a blocke.


[Ce qui est venu par la fleute s'en retourne avec le Tabourin:] [Prov.] What the pipe hath gathered the Taber scattereth; goods ill gotten are commonly ill spent.


[Chantez à l'asne il vous fera des pets:] [Prov.] The ignorant blockhead scornes both Musicke, and the Muses; or, as wee say, Claw a churle by the breech, and he will beray your fist.
[Chantez à l'asne, il vous sera des pets:] [Prov.] Sing you to an Asse, and he will fart vnto you; bestow any good thing on a churle, and if he do requite it, it shall be in one filthie manner or other.


[Chascun n'est pas aise qui danse:] [Prov.] Euerie one is not merie that dances (viz. that seemes merie)
[Chascun n'est pas aise qui danse:] [Prov.] Euerie one is not merrie that daunces; of such a one wee say, his heart is not so light as his heeles.


[Danse du loup la queuë entre les iambes:] [Prov.] [Lecherie.] {needsdef}


[De b carre en b mol:] [Prov.] [In discourse, to shift often, idly, and on a suddaine, from one subiect vnto another.] {ed: was in the definition for "B", which is defined as the letter B, or the note B in music.}


[Iamais danseur ne fut bon clerc:] [Prov.] Neuer was dauncer good scholler.


[On ne fait pas à grand coups douce vielle:] [Prov.] Tis not the great (but the apt) stroake that makes the harmonie.
[On ne fait pas à grands coups douce vieille:] [Pro.] [Hard stroakes yeeld but harsh Musicke.]
[On ne fait pas à grands coups douce vielle:] [Prov.] [Not great, but apt, stroakes make sweet Musicke.]


[Vn asne n'entend rien en Musique:] [Pro.] [An asse is but a bad Musician; or, cannot iudge of Musicke.]


[Vn fol dessus vn pont c'est vn tambour en la Riviere:] [Prov.] [A foole on a bridge is a Drumme in the riuer; viz. makes it resound by his madde thumping, leaping, or dauncing ouer it.]


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