1732 POPE Epistles to Several Persons 1.102 ‘Tis Education forms the common
mind, Just as the Twig is bent, the Tree’s inclined. 1818 T. G. FESSENDEN Ladies
Monitor 75’ ‘Tis education forms the tender mind, Just as the twig is bent the tree’s
inclined.’ This hacknied adage, not more trite than true. 1940 P. McGINLEY Primary
Education in Pocketful of Wry 16 As bends the twig, thus grows the el-em.. So, twice a
month, we’re bound to sell ’em The doctrine of Impartial Minds. 1979 ‘C. AIRD’ Some
die Eloquent viii. ‘Nature, not nurture?’ murmured the biologist. .. ‘As the twig is bent,’
Sloan came back. 1996 National Review 9 Dec. 63 Older, bigger children defend their
privileges, while younger kids try to subvert the status quo. As the twig is bent, so grows
the tree. children; human nature; nature and nurtureTWO blacks don’t make a white
Similar to TWO wrongs don’t make a right.
1721 J. KELLY Scottish Proverbs 321 Two Blacks make no White. An Answer to
them who, being blam’d, say others have done as ill or worse. 1822 SCOTT Letter 14 Mar
(1934) VII. 96 To try whether I cannot contradict the old proverb of ‘Two blackies
[Lockhart Life: blacks] not making a white’. 1882 A. AINGER Charles Lamb vii. As two
blacks do not make a white, it was beside the mark to make laborious fun over Southey’s
youthful ballads. 1932 G. B. SHAW Adventures of Black Girl 28 Never forget that two
blacks do not make a white. 1966 A. E. LINDOP I start Counting viii. ‘What’s the
modern murderer got to fear?.. They’ll only go to prison.’..’Two blacks don’t make a
white.’ good and evilWhile TWO dogs are fighting for a bone, a third runs away with it
c 1386 CHAUCER Knight’s Tale 1. 1177 We stryve as dide the houndes for the
boon... Ther cam a kyte, whil that they were so wrothe, And baar awey the boon betwixe
hem bothe. 1534 MORE Dialogue of Comfort (1553) I AiiiV Now strive there twain for
vs, our lord send the grace, that the thyrde dog cary not awaie the bone from them both.
1639 J. CLARKE Parœmiologia Anglo-Latina 94 Two dogs strive for a bone, and the
third runs away with it. 1784 Gazette of State of S. Carolina 17 July 2 Verifying the
coarse proverb, while two dogs are fighting for a bone, a third comes and runs away with
it. 1983 Practical Computing June 5 While the major companies continue to argue among
themselves they are in a poor position to police the rest of the industry. When two
alsatians are fighting over a large bone, a passing poodle can easily walk off with it.
opportunity, takenTWO heads are better than one