1912 L. STRACHEY Landmarks in French Literature vi. The new spirits had
animated the prose of Chateaubriand and the poetry of Lamartine; but.. the form of both
these writers retained most of the important characteristics of the old tradition. It was
new wine in old bottles. 1948 A. J. TOYNBEE Civilization on Trial vi. The new wines of
industrialism and democracy have been poured into old bottles and they have burst the
old bottles beyond repair. 1960 I. JEFFERIES Dignity & Purity viii. ‘I don’t think you
can put new wine in old bottles.’ I looked doubtful. .. ‘A lot of this could be rationalized.’
1974 T. SHARPE Porterhouse Blue x. ‘Motives?.. Good old-fashioned lust.’ ‘That hardly
explains the explosive nature of his end.’.. ‘You can’t put new wine in old bottles.’
innovationThere is always something NEW out of AfricaL. ex Africa semper aliquid novi, a variant of a passage in the Naturalis Historia (viii. 16)
of Pliny the Elder referring to hybridization of African animals: unde etiam vulgare Graeciae
dictum semper aliquid novi African afferre, hence that common saying of the Greek that
Africa is always bringing forth something new; the allusion is to a passage in Aristotle’s De
Animalibus Historia viii. 28, 7 Libya is always showing something
new. Versions of the Latin saying have been current in England since Erasmus’ Adagia (1500).
1559 W. BAVARDE tr. A Woorke of Ioannes Ferrarius 81 It is saied that Affricque
bringeth foorthe alwaies some newe thing. 1642 J. HOWELL Instructions for Forreine
Travel (Arber ed.) iii. 22 France, which as Africk produceth always something New, for I
never knew week passe in Paris but it brought forth some new kinds of Authors. 1976 D.
ARDEN (title) Out of Africa something new? 1983 R. KELLY ‘Stone Wall in
Providence’ in Under Words 112 Always something new / out of Africa. Rubadubdub of
the new desires squeezing / into the convenient old places of the sleepstonewall. 2000
CBS NEWS (web site) 11 June It is a thing of rare beauty nonetheless: Humans and
dangerous animals at peace and in harmony with each other—proving once again that
there is always something new out of Africa. noveltynew see also there is NOTHING new under the sun; it is best to be OFF with the old love
before you are on with the new; you can’t TEACH an old dog new tricks.
news see BAD news travels fast; GO abroad and you’ll hear news of home; NO news is
good news.
nibble see a BLEATING sheep loses a bite.