A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

A GOOD Jack makes a good Jill

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  1623 W. PAINTER Palace of Pleasure C8 A good Iacke alwaies maketh a good Gyll. 1670 J. RAY English Proverbs 108 A good Jack makes a good Gill. .. Inferiours imitate the manners of superiours.. wives of their husbands. 1876 I. BANKS Manchester Man III. xv. In George Street he was refused admission, Mrs. Ashton justifying her
  

daughter’s fight with..’A good Jack makes a good Jill.’ »men and women
GOOD men are scarce

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  1609 D. TUVILL Essays Moral & Theological 92 Good men are scarce, no age so many brings As Thebes hath gates. 1721 J. KELLY Scottish Proverbs 124 Good Folks are scarce, you’ll take care of one. Spoken to those who carefully provide against ill Weather, or cowardly shun Dangers. 1836 DICKENS Sketches by Boz I. 285 One of the women has agreed to stand a glass round, jocularly observing that ‘as good people’s wery scarce, what I says is, make the most on ’em.’ 1979 ‘J. LECARRE ‘ Smiley’s People xii. Time you had some shut-eye, isn’t it? Good men are scarce, I always say. "good and evil
  

There’s many a GOOD tune played on an old fiddle

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  a 1902 S. BUTLER Way of All Flesh (1903) Ixi. Beyond a haricot vein in one of my legs I’m as young as ever I was. Old indeed! There’s many a good tune played on an old fiddle. 1979 N. FREELING Widow xxx. He looked at her casually. .. ‘Not all that bad at that. Many a good tune played on an old fiddle.’ 2002 G. PHINN Head over Heels in Dales 9 Dun’t really matter what it looks like, though, does it? It’s what inside that counts, my grandad says. Same wi’ people, he says. ‘Many a good tune played on an owd fiddle.’ ^appearance, deceptive; old age