John Davies, a native of Hereford, in the year 1611 or thereabouts wrote a book which he called the "Scourge of Folly." The work is now a scarce one, and the world is no great loser in consequence. He was a versifier at once prolific and drearily dull. The first edition we have not seen, but that of 1620 is entitled, "The Scourge of Folly, consisting of satyricall Epigrams and others in honour of many noble Persons and worthy Friends, together with a pleasant (though discordant) Descant upon most English Proverbs and others." The epigrams are, most of them, of a most offensive character. The references to the names of the persons satirised carry now no meaning, but at the time they were written they must have been of the most grossly personal character. "Against Formias brauery and unceessant prating," "against Cleophus, the Time observer," "against faint-hearted bragging Bomelio," "against wordy Classus," are examples of the headings, and the lines that in each case are appended are grossly insolent. There are two hundred and ninety-two of these scoundrelisms. His proverbs are four hundred and nineteen in number, and he adds to each a rhyming comment of his own. They are mostly very feeble, and many of them much too gross for quotation. "Fast binde, fast finde, but Rufus, bound as fast As bonds could do, to pay a debt he ought, Stole quite away, ere quite the day was past, And nowhere can be found, though he be sought." He lengthens and shortens the proverbs as rhythmical exigencies call for, and his great idea throughout seems to be to show that these old proverbs were quite absurd and valueless, and that John Davies was the real fount of wisdom. We append a few of these couplets, the first line being a proverb and the second the comment of Davies upon it. Anything more feeble and pointless than the latter could scarcely be imagined. "A Mouse may in time bite in two a cable-- That may she at once if she be able." "No more can we have of the fox but his skin; Yes, Bones to make dice, which now is no sin." "Three may keep counsell if two be away, And so may all three if nothing they say." "A dead Bee will make no Hony, But from dead Bees it's had for money." "Ill newes are commonly true, Not if a lyer made them new." "The Cat would eat fish but for wetting her feete, To eat ere she wash is fowle and unsweete." "Throw no Guift at the Giver againe; Yes: if he give me a blow Ile thanke him with twaine." "A scabb'd Sheepe will marre a whole flocke, Faith, then the Shepherd's a Knave or a Block." "Who is worse Shood than the Shoomaker's wife? Faith, Geese, that never wore Shoes in their life."