A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

comment on the truth of the uncomfortable proverb, ‘The nearer the church, the farther

from God,’ that so bad a district should adjoin one of the great headquarters of the

church. 1957 R. GRAVES They hanged my Saintly Billy ii. ‘The nearer the church, the

farther from God,’ is a proverb of doubtful truth. But true it is that William Palmer, as a

child, had two churches frowning down on him. Christianity

NECESSITY is the mother of invention

Cf. PERSIUS Satires Prologue 10 magister artis ingeniique largitor venter, the belly is the
teacher of art and the giver of wit. The idea is stated more succinctly in 1519 W. HORMAN
Vulgaria 52 Nede taught hym wytte. Necessitas ingenium dedit.

1545 R. ASCHAM ToxophilusII 18 V Necessitie, the inuentor of all goodnesse (as all

authours in a maner, doo saye).. inuented a shaft heed. 1608 G. CHAPMANTragedy of

Byron IV. i. The great Mother, Of all productions (graue Necessity). 1658 R. FRANCK

Northern Memoirs (1694) 44 Art imitates Nature, and Necessity is the Mother of

Invention. 1726 J. SWIFT Gulliver’s Travels IV. X. I soaled my Shoes with wood, which

I cut from a Tree... No man could more verify the Truth.. That, Necessity is the Mother

of Invention. 1861 C. READE Cloister & Hearth II. vi. ‘But, dame, I found language too

poor to paint him. I was fain to invent. You know Necessity is the mother of—.’ ‘Ay! ay,

that is old enough, o’ conscience’. 2001 Washington Post 18 Nov. B7 If necessity is the

mother of invention, calamity is not uncommonly the source of legislation. necessity

NECESSITY knows no law

Cf. L. necessitas non habet legem, necessity has no law.

1377 LANGLAND Piers Plowman B. xx. 10 Nede ne hath no lawe, ne neure shal

falle in dette. c 1530 W. TYNDALE Answer to More B1 Two things are without law, God

and necessity. a 1555 N. RIDLEY Lamentation of Miserable Estate of Church (1556) D4

The latter reason.. includeth a necessitie which after the common sayinge hathe no law.

1680 DRYDEN Kind Keeper III. ii. Necessity has no Law; I must be patient. 1776 F.

RHINELANDER Letter 23 Feb. in H. C. Van Schaack Life of Peter Van Schaack (1842)

54 Troops.. quarter themselves in any houses they find shut up. Necessity knows no law.

1864 MRS H. WOOD Trevlyn Hold II. xiv. Necessity has no law, and he was obliged to

rise. 1939 ‘D. YATES’ Gale Warning vi. ‘“Don’t speak to the man at the wheel” is a very

good rule.’ ‘So’, said I, ‘is “Necessity knows no law.”’ 1977 S. T. WARNER Kingdoms of

Elfin 107 Necessity knows no law. I must admit it. From time to time, I flew. necessity