The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (355 page)

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Authors: John Andrew Simpson,

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs
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MARRIAGE is a lottery
1642
Holy State
III
. xxii.
Marriage shall prove no lottery to thee, when the hand of providence chuseth for thee, who, if drawing a blank, can turn into a prize by sanctifying a bad wife unto thee.
1875
Thrift
xii.
‘Marriage is a lottery.’ It may be so, if we abjure the teachings of prudence.
1939
Sullivan at Bay
14
What is marriage?.. Marriage is a lottery.
luck
;
marriage
There goes more to MARRIAGE than four bare legs in a bed
c
1549
Dialogue of Proverbs
I
. viii. B1
In house to kepe household, whan folks wyll wed, Mo thyngs belong, than foure bare legs in a bed.
1623
Remains concerning Britain
(ed. 3) 273
Longs more to marriage then foure bare legges in a bed.
1738
Polite Conversation
I. 84
Consider, Mr. Neverout, Four bare Legs in a Bed; and you are a younger Brother.
1958
in
Dict. Painting
p. vii.
As the old proverb has it, ‘there goes more to marriage than four bare legs in a bed.’
marriage

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