The proverbs of a nation furnish the index to its spirit and the results of its civilization. – Timothy Titcomb (J.G. Holland), “An Exordial Essay,” Gold-foil: Hammered from Po

Proverbs accordingly are somewhat analogous to those medical Formulas which, being in frequent use, are kept ready-made-up in the chemists’ shops, and which often save the framing of a distinct Prescription. – Richard Whately, Elements of Rhetoric

Always verify quotations! – Martin Joseph Routh, quoted in Catholic World: A Monthly Magazine of General Lit

The quoting of an aphorism, like the angry barking of a dog or the smell of overcooked broccoli, rarely indicates that something helpful is about to happen. – Lemony Snicket, The Vile Village, 2001