A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

DEVIL take the hindmost
A shortened version of EVERY man for himself, and devil take the hindmost. A Latin version of this sentiment is HORACE Ars Poetica 417 occupet extremum scabies, may the itch take the one who is last.
г-11620 BEAUMONT & FLETCHER Philas_ter V i What if thev run all awaw and cry the Devil take the hindmost. 1725 DEFOE Everybody’s Business 29 In a few years the navigation.. will be entirely obstructed. .. Every one of these gentlemen-watermen hopes it will last his time, and so they all cry, the Devil take the hindmost. 1824 Tales of American Landlord I. ix. The troops.. hurried away.. with a precipitation which seemed to say ‘De’il tak the hindmost.’ 1953 P. GALLICO Foolish Immortals vii. Hannah grew up in.. a land of unlimited resources and opportunity for acquiring them and let the devil take the hindmost. 2002 Times 22 Feb. 24 And Devil take the hindmost. In a better world than the infernal Circle Line, women and children first is still a noble sentiment. ■ self­preservation
The DEVIL was sick, the Devil a saint would be; the Devil was well, the devil a saint was he!
Promises made in adversity may not be kept in prosperity. Cf. medieval L. aegrotavit daemon, monachus tunc esse volebat; daemon convaluit, daemon ut ante fuit, when the Devil was ill, he wished to be a monk; when the Devil recovered, he was the Devil just as before; 1586 J. WITHALS Dict. (rev. ed.) K8 The diuell was sicke and crasie; Good woulde the monke bee that was lasie.

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  1629 T. ADAMS Works 634 God had need to take what deuotion he can get at our hands in our misery; for when prosperity returnes, wee forget our vowes. .. The Deuill was sicke, the deuill a Monke would be, The Deuill was well, the deuill of [sic] Monke was he [i.e. no sort of monk at all]. 1881 D. C. MURRAY Joseph’s Coat II. xvii. A prisoner’s penitence is a thing the quality of which it is very difficult to judge until you see it.. tried outside. ‘The devil was sick.’ 1913 H. JAMES Small Boy xxviii. The old, the irrepressible adage.. was to live again between them: ‘When the devil was sick the devil a saint would be; when the devil was well the devil a saint was he!’ 1959 E. CADELL Alice, where art Thou? xii. 185 Laurie.. offers to do penance for his past, to make amends in the future. .. My father’s comment is that the devil a monk was he. ■ adversity; hypocrisy
  

Devil see also set a BEGGAR on horseback, and he’ll ride to the Devil; BETTER the devil you know than the devil you don’t know; never BID the Devil good morrow until you meet him; EVERY man for himself, and devil take the hindmost; GIVE a thing, and take a thing, to wear the Devil’s gold ring; GIVE the Devil his due; where GOD builds a church, the Devil will build a chapel; GOD sends meat, but the Devil sends cooks; what is GOT over the Devil’s back is spent under his belly; HASTE is from the Devil; HOME is home, as the Devil said when he found himself in the Court of Session; an IDLE brain is the Devil’s workshop; NEEDS must when the Devil drives; PARSLEY seed goes nine times to the Devil; it is easier to RAISE the Devil than to lay him; he who SUPS with the Devil should have a long spoon; TALK of the Devil, and he is bound to appear; TELL the truth and shame the Devil; TRUTH makes the Devil blush; YOUNG saint, old devil.