James Howell (c.1593–1666) was an Anglo-Welsh historian and writer who is, in many ways, a representative figure of his age.
Born probably in Abernant, Carmarthenshire, Wales, Howell studied at Oxford. He traveled abroad on business and entered parliament (1627) for Richmond, Yorkshire. He was a Royalist spy (1632–42,) and during the Civil War, was imprisoned by parliament (1642–50.) At the Restoration (1660,) he became Historiographer Royal, a post created for him.
As well as translations from Italian, French, and Spanish, and works on history, politics, and philosophy, Howell wrote Instructions for Forraine Travell (1642,) a supplement to Randle Cotgrave’s French-English dictionary, and the witty Epistolae Ho-Elianae; or Familiar Letters (4 vols., 1645–55.)
Howell’s Proverbs in English, Italian, French, and Spanish (1659) and Paroimiographia (1659) contains the first mention of the proverb “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” though the spirit of the adage had been expressed previously.
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Words and works eat not at one table.
—James Howell
Affection is blind reason.
—James Howell
He that hath once got the fame of an early riser, may sleep till noon.
—James Howell
He that hath money in his purse cannot want a head for his shoulders.
—James Howell
Topics: Money
Easter so longed for is gone in a day.
—James Howell
There’s fence against all things except death.
—James Howell
He falls in the pit he digs for others.
—James Howell
Neither go to a wedding nor a christening unbid.
—James Howell
The creditor hath a better memory than the debtor.
—James Howell
Topics: Debt
He that has the name to be an early riser may sleep till noon.
—James Howell
Topics: Reputation
Sometimes an ill favored bitch gnaws a good chord.
—James Howell
A hungry man is an angry man.
—James Howell
French wines may be said but to pickle meat in the stomach, but this is the wine that digests, and doth not only breed good blood, but it nutrifieth also, being a glutinous substantial liquor; of this wine, if of any other, may be verified that merry induction: That good wine makes good blood, good blood causeth good humors, good humors cause good thoughts, good thoughts bring forth good works, good works carry a man to heaven, ergo, good wine carrieth a man to heaven.
—James Howell
Topics: Wine
Appetite is better than surfeit.
—James Howell
The Devil turns his back to a door that is shut.
—James Howell
Burn not thy fingers to snuff another man’s candle.
—James Howell
Happy is he that grows wise by other men’s harms.
—James Howell
He that hath eaten a bear-pie, will always smell of the garden.
—James Howell
To whom thy secret thou dost tell, to him thy freedom thou dost sell.
—James Howell
In time of prosperity friends will be plenty; In time of adversity not one in twenty.
—James Howell
Topics: Bad Times, Proverbs, Adversity
After these two, Dr. Diet and Dr. Quiet, Dr. Merriman is requisite to preserve health.
—James Howell
Topics: Health
The wealth of a churchman God gives it, and the Devil takes it away.
—James Howell
Feed sparingly and defy the physician.
—James Howell
Topics: One liners, Weight
Distance sometimes endears friendship, and absence sweeteneth it.
—James Howell
To have gold brings fear; to have none brings grief.
—James Howell
He can hardly be a true friend to another, who is an enemy to himself.
—James Howell
Topics: Friendship
Owe money at Easter and Lent will seem short to thee.
—James Howell
Respect a man, he will do the more.
—James Howell
Topics: Respect, Leadership, Respectability
God consents but not always.
—James Howell
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