A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

peck see also we must EAT a peck of dirt before we die.
The PEN is mightier than the sword
Cf. CICERO De Officiis I. xxii. cedant arma togae, arms give way to persuasion.

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  1582 G. WHETSTONE Heptameron of Civil Discourses iii. The dashe of a Pen, is more greeuous then the counter use of a Launce. a 1712 W. KING Eagle & Robin in Poetical Works (1781) III. 49 Poor Bob.. A goosequill on for weapon ty’d, Knowing by use that now and then A sword less hurt does than a pen. 1839 BULWER-LYTTON Richelieu II. ii. Beneath the rule of men entirely great, The pen is mightier than the sword. 1976 T. SHARPE Wilt iii. The man who said the pen was mightier than the sword ought to have tried reading The Mill on the Floss to Motor Mechanics. 2002 Washington Post 6 Mar. C1 In the long run, casualties and causality may be equally important—or maybe Laura Bush and her conference on education had the edge, yesterday, the pen being mightier than the sword and all. "tact
  

Take care of the PENCE and the pounds will take care of themselves
The ‘Mr. Lowndes’ to whom quot. 1750 attributes this saying was William Lowndes (1652-1724).

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  1750 CHESTERFIELD Letter 5 Feb. (1932) IV 1500 Old Mr. Lowndes, the famous Secretary of the Treasury, .. used to say.. Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves. 1912 G. B. SHAW Pygmalion II. 132 Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves is as true of personal habits as of money. 1979 R. CASSILIS Arrow of God IV. xvii. Little things, Master Mally. Look after the pennies, Master Mally, and the pounds will look after themselves. 1999 ‘H. CRANE’ Miss Seeton’s Finest Hour xi. 92 ‘Yes, it sounds on the melodramatic side,’ he said cheerfully, ‘but in wartime you can’t be too careful about the smallest detail. Think of it as along the lines of taking care of the pennies, and the pounds will take care of themselves.’ "money; thrift