saying when the FURZE is in bloom, my love’s in tune.
1846 M. A. DENHAM Proverbs relating to Seasons, &c. 12 When whins [gorse] are
out of bloom, Kissing’s out of fashion. .. Whins are never out of bloom. 1860 G. J.
WHYTE-MELVILLE Holmby House I. iii. ‘When the gorse is out of bloom, young
ladies,’ quoth Sir Giles,’then is kissing out of fashion!’.. There is no day in the year when
the blossom is off the gorse. 1974 A. DWYER-JOYCE Brass Islands 175 ‘What’s that old
jingle about the gorse?’.. ‘When the gorse is out of bloom, kissing is out of fashion.’ 2002
Country Life 9 May 128 Gorse can be found in flower at all seasons, hence sayings like
‘When gorse is out of season, kissing’s out of fashion’, but in winter it yields no scent at
all. love, prosperousWhat is GOT over the Devil’s back is spent under his bellyWhat is improperly obtained is spent in reckless pleasures or debauchery.1582 S. GOSSON Plays Confuted G7V That which is gotten ouer the deuils backe, is
spent vnder his belly. 1607 MIDDLETON Michaelmas Term IV. i. What’s got over the
devil’s back (that’s by knavery), must be spent under his belly (that’s by lechery). 1670 J.
RAY English Proverbs 80 What is gotten over the Devils back, is spent under his belly. ..
What is got by oppression or extortion is many times spent in riot and luxury. 1821
SCOTT Pirate III. iv. You shall not prevail on me to go farther in the devil’s road with
you; for.. what is got over his back is spent—you wot how. 1952 N. TYRE Mouse in
Eternity 93 What I say is what goes over the devil’s back is sure to come under his belly.
getting and spendinggot see also a PENNY saved is a penny earned.grain see if in FEBRUARY there be no rain, ‘tis neither good for hay nor grain.grandmother see don’t TEACH your grandmother to suck eggs.While the GRASS grows, the steed starvesDreams or expectations may be realized too late. Cf. medieval L. dum gramen crescit,
equus in moriendo quiescit, while the grass grows, the horse lies dying.