Prov 2 8.18.5 ކ HARVARD COPYRIGHT BY G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS 1887 The Knickerbocker Press, New York PREFACE. THE Compiler does not venture to claim for his work either completeness or perfection; he hopes, however, that it may be found, what he has conscientiously endeavored to make it, useful and instructive. In offering a book to the world of letters, it is fair to assume that the author, or as in this case the compiler, claims for it a right to exist on the ground of superiority in some particulars over existing works in the same department of literature. The great value as instructors, of inspired and uninspired proverbs has long been recognized. "The people's voice, the voice of God we call, And what are proverbs but the public voice? Coined first and common made by common choice, Then sure they must have weight and truth withal." It may be safely affirmed of all notable collections of proverbs hitherto published, that they include very many tainted with impurity, and others, the wit of which does not redeem their coarseness. All such have been excluded from the present compila |