
“1345. Drunkenness turns a Man out of himself, and leaves a Beast in his room.”
Introductio ad prudentiam: Part II (1727), Gnomologia (1732)
The quote "And it ain't a fit night out for man nor beast." is famous quote by W.C. Fields (1880–1946), actor.
The Fatal Glass of Beer (1933). Fields adapts an English proverb that was popular in the 17th century. (James Howell, English Proverbs (1659): "When the wind is in the east it is good for neither man nor beast"; John Ray, English Proverbs (1670): "When the wind's in the East, It's neither good for man nor beast." In rhyming "east" with "beast" the proverb refers to weather patterns in the British isles.)
“Mr. Fields, could you tell me the reason for your well-known aversion to water?” “Delighted, my dear,” he replied with suddenly increased bonhomie. “Never touch the stuff—very unhealthy. Fish fuck in it.”
Source: Halliwell’s Hundred: A filmgoer’s nostalgic choice of films from the golden age By Leslie Halliwell, New York, NY: Charles Scribner’s Sons 1982, Pg. 231: "The story goes that a polite young lady journalist invited him to lunch at Chasen’s in hope of a story. Lunch in his case was a liquid affair, and left him uncommunicative. Noticing the passion with which he shooed away the hovering waiter with the ice water jug, she seized an opening. “Mr. Fields, could you tell me the reason for your well-known aversion to water?” “Delighted, my dear,” he replied with suddenly increased bonhomie. “Never touch the stuff—very unhealthy. Fish fuck in it.”
“1345. Drunkenness turns a Man out of himself, and leaves a Beast in his room.”
Introductio ad prudentiam: Part II (1727), Gnomologia (1732)
“He who makes a beast out of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man.”
(Ain't That) Good News
Song lyrics, Ain't That Good News (1964)
“One beast and only one howls in the woods by night.”
Source: Burning Your Boats: The Collected Short Stories
“There ain't no man can avoid being born average. But there ain't no man got to be common.”
"Words of the Week" Jet (Sep 4, 1958)
Introduction
New Era Community (1926)
Context: Wayfarer, friend, let us travel together. Night is near, wild beasts are about, and our campfire may go out. But if we agree to share the night watch, we can conserve our forces.
Tomorrow our path will be long and we may become exhausted. Let us walk together. We shall have joy and festivity. I shall sing for you the song your mother, wife and sister sang. You will relate for me your father's story about a hero and his achievements. Let our path be one.
Be careful not to step upon a scorpion, and warn me about any vipers. Remember, we must arrive at a certain mountain village.
Traveler, be my friend.
“There ain't a body, be it mouse or man, that ain't made better by a little soup.”
Source: The Tale of Despereaux
Source: Translations, The Aeneid of Virgil (1866), Book VIII, p. 286
“In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man will poke out his eye to fit in.”
12 December 2010
Unfit for Mass Consumption (blog entries), 2010