A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

Cf. ST. BERNARD Sermon v. All Saints, vulgo dicitur: Quod non videt oculus cor non
dolet, it is commonly said: what the eye sees not, the heart does not grieve at; early 14th-cent.
Fr. car on dit que ce que on ne voit au cueur ne deult, for it is said that what one does not see
does not harm the heart.

1545 R. TAVERNER tr. Erasmus’ Adages (ed. 2) 13 That the eye seeth not, the hart

rueth not. 1576 G. PETTIE Petit Palace 145 As the sence of seeinge is most sharp, so is

that paine most pinching, to see the thing one seeketh, and can not possesse it. .. And as

the common saying is, that which the eye seeth, the hart greeueth. 1721 J. KELLY

Scottish Proverbs 341 What the Eye sees not, the Heart rues not. Men may have Losses,

but if they be unknown to them they give them no Trouble. 1830 J. L. BURCKHARDT

Arabic Proverbs 109 When the eye does not see, the heart does not grieve. 1883 C. S.

BURNE Shropshire Folklore xxxvi. These.. seem to be popular legal maxims. .. What the

eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve. 1939 G. HEYER No Wind of Blame iii. Anyone

knows what men are, and what the eye doesn’t see the heart won’t grieve over. 1986 ‘J.

GREENWOOD’ Mists Over Mosley (1987) xix. 122 ‘But they have a saying in these

parts. “What the eye don’t see, the heart don’t grieve,” and I’ve always said to myself,

that’s not a bad motto for a man.’ ignorance; trouble

The EYE of a master does more work than both his hands

1744 B. FRANKLIN Poor Richard’s Almanack (Oct.) The eye of a Master, will do

more Work than his Hand. 1876 I. BANKS Manchester Man I. xiv. She was wont to say,

‘The eye of a master does more work than both his hands,’ accordingly in house or

warehouse her active supervision kept other hands from idling. 1907 Washington Post 9

Jan. 8/4 (advertisement) The Eye of a Master Does Better Work Than Both His Hands.

1993 Buffalo News (New York) 11 June 4 It was Benjamin Franklin, for whom the

Cattaraugus County community of Franklinville is named, who observed: ‘The eye of the

master will do more work than both his hands.’ employers and employees

eye see also BEAUTY is in the eye of the beholder; the BUYER has need of a hundred
eyes, the seller of but one; FIELDS have eyes, and woods have ears; FOUR eyes see more than
two; HAWKS will not pick out hawks’ eyes; PLEASE your eye and plague your heart.

The EYES are the window of the soul

Occurs in a number of variant forms: the face is the index of the mind is among those
exemplified below. Cf. CICERO Orator lx. ut imago est animi voltus sic indices oculi, the face