verb-loving
public. In 1832, the collection formed by Andrew Henderson was published
at Glasgow. It is based upon the previous books, and is a very extensive
one, although in arrangement it is defective. This collection, which is
more ample than the former ones, has the advantage of an elaborate
historical and literary disquisition on the general subject, in the
form of an introduction by the poet Motherwell, which is allowed to be
one of the most interesting and comprehensive papers on proverbs which
has yet appeared.

The present collection of Scottish Proverbs, the first edition of which
appeared in 1862, while it is the most extensive and systematic that has
yet appeared, claims to be little more than a mere mechanical
compilation. It was suggested by the work of Henderson, and has been
carefully collated with it, and also with the previous collections of
Fergusson, Kelly, and Ramsay. Large additions have been made from
various sources, such as the works of Sir Walter Scott, Galt, Hogg, and
other national writers, while not a few have been picked up and
registered as they fell from the lips of friends and strangers with whom
the compiler came in contact.

Throughout the volume, a considerable number of notes are introduced.
These notes the compiler had some hesitation in inserting, from a
feeling that many of them were mere literal explanations or
illustrations, conveying generally but a very poor idea of the deeper
meaning which the proverbs themselves are capable of yielding; and also
in deference to opinions which have been expressed as to the propriety
of adding notes to a collection of proverbs at all, as every reader of
intelligence is competent to put an individual construction upon each,
suited to circumstances; while the very wide inferences and applications
which can be extracted from many of them, render the adapting of a brief
and satisfactory note, in many cases, an impossibility. As it is,
however, little merit is claimed for them; and if they are found to be
of no aid in facilitating an interpretation, they will, at least, tend
to relieve the monotonous or catalogue effect, so to speak, which is apt
to be felt by many readers when perusing works arranged in alphabetical
order. In all cases where the compiler could adapt a quotation or
parallel proverb, he did so in preference to inserting an original note.
To apply a proverb from the collection, it is hoped that, after all, the
notes will be found n