A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

1647 Mercurius Elencticus 26 Jan.-2 Feb. 76 The old Proverb is, Hearkners never

heare good of them selves. 1678 J. RAY English Proverbs (ed. 2) 75 Listners ne’er hear

good of themselves. 1839 DICKENS Nicholas Nickleby xlii. ‘If it is fated that listeners

are never to hear any good of themselves,’ said Mrs. Browdie, ‘I can’t help it, and I am

very sorry for it.’ 1881 J. C. HARRIS Uncle Remus X. Brer Fox wuz stannin’ at de back

do’ wid one year at de cat-hole lissenin’. Eave-drappers don’t hear no good er deyse’f, en

de way Brer Fox was ‘bused dat day wuz a caution. 1907 E. NESBIT Enchanted Castle v.

He.. opened the door suddenly, and there.. was Eliza... ‘You know what listeners never

hear,’ said Jimmy severely. 1977 A. NEWMAN Evil Streak IV. 178 They say listeners

never hear any good of themselves but there is no excuse for.. ingratitude. 1992 A.

LAMBERT Rather English Marriage (1993) xvii. 289 ‘Eavesdroppers never hear good of

themselves,’ Grace would have said, and she’d have been right. eavesdroppers

There is no LITTLE enemy

Cf. c 1386 CHAUCER Tale of Melibee 1. 1322 Ne be nat necligent to kepe thy persone, nat
oonly fro thy gretteste enemys, but fro thy leeste enemy. Senek seith: ‘A man that is well
avysed, he dredeth his leste enemy.’

1659 J. HOWELL Proverbs 8 There’s no enemy little, viz. we must not undervalue

any foe. 1733 B. FRANKLIN Poor Richard’s Almanack (Sept.) There is no little enemy.

1887 J. LUBBOCK Pleasures of Life I. V. To be friendly with every one is another

matter; we must remember that there is no little enemy. 2006 Florida Times-Union 22

Apr. M-18 Students also sent her their favorite quotes.. Student Saye Kotee chose the

quote ‘there is no little enemy.’ enemies; malice

LITTLE fish are sweet

1830 R. FORBY Vocabulary of East Anglia 434 ‘Little fish are sweet.’—It means

small gifts are always acceptable. 1914 K. F. PURDON Folk of Furry Farm vii. ‘They’ll

sell at a loss,’ he went on, with a sigh, ‘but sure, little fish is sweet! and the rent has to be

made up.’ 1981 J. BINGHAM Brock 92 Wealthy proprietor of the Melford Echo and three

or four small newspapers in the country. (’Little fish are sweet, old boy.’) great and

small

A LITTLE knowledge is a dangerous thing

The Pierian spring in quot. 1711 refers to the classical tradition that the Muses were born
in the Pieria region of northern Greece. The original learning is also used instead of