A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs: Comprising French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese and Danish, with English Translations and a General Index

"A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs" by Henry G. Bohn is a collection of proverbs from various languages, including French, Italian, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, and Danish, with accompanying English translations, written in the mid-19th century. The work serves as a resource for both casual readers and linguists, intending to share wisdom from different cultures through their proverbs. The collection provides insights into the values and common beliefs shared across diverse societies. The opening of the book presents the author’s preface, where he explains the genesis of the project—his previous work on English proverbs inspired him to compile a broader collection that spans multiple languages. Bohn mentions the collaboration with various scholars to ensure accuracy in translations and acknowledges their contributions. He expresses hope that readers will find the proverbs enlightening and reflects on how some of them may be new to English speakers while others may be more familiar than assumed.