They that lie down [i.e., fall sick] for love should rise for hunger.—Scotch.
The presumption being that, if they had not been too well fed, they would not have been troubled with that disease. "Without Ceres and Bacchus, Venus freezes" (Latin).[53] "No love without bread and wine" (French).[54]
Old pottage is sooner heated than new made.
An old flame is sooner revived than a new one kindled. "One always returns to one's first love" (French).[55] "True love never grows hoary" (Italian).[56]
Love and light cannot be hid.
Love and a cough cannot be hid.
The French add smoke to these irrepressible things.[57] La gale is sometimes enumerated with them; and the Danes say, "Poverty and love are hard to hide."[58]
Love and lordship like not fellowship.
Kindness comes awill.—Scotch.
That is, love cannot be forced. The Germans couple it in that respect with singing.[59] "Who would be loved must love,"[60] say the Italians; and "Love is the very price at which love is to be bought."[61]
Our English proverbs on love are for the most part sarcastic or jocular, and few of them can be compared, for grace and elevation of feeling, with those of Italy. We have no parallels in our language for the following:—"Love knows no measure"[62]—there are no bounds to its trustfulness and devotion;—"Love warms more than a thousand fires;"[63]—"He who has love in his heart has spurs in his sides;"[64]—"Love rules without law;"[65]—"Love rules his kingdom without a sword;"[66]—"Love knows not labour;"[67]—"Love is master of all arts."[68] The French have one proverb on the sovereign might of love,[69] which they borrowed from the sublime phrase in the Song of Solomon, "Love is stronger than death;" and another expressed in the language of their chivalric forefathers, "Love subdues all but the ruffian's heart."[70]