Needless to say this collection is far from perfect;--the most I can hope for is that it may constitute the nucleus of a more exhaustive publication to appear in course of time. No one person could hope to make a really complete collection of Creole proverbs--even with all the advantages of linguistic knowledge, leisure, wealth, and travel. Only a society of folklorists might bring such an undertaking to a successful issue; but as no systematic effort is being made in this direction, I have had no hesitation in attempting--not indeed to fill a want--but to set an example. _Gouïe passé, difil sivré_:--let the needle but pass, the thread will follow.
[-->] The selection of Haytian proverbs in this collection was made by kindly permission of Messrs. Harper Bros., from the four articles contributed by Hon. John Bigelow, to HARPER'S MAGAZINE, 1875. The following list includes only those works consulted or quoted from in the preparation of this dictionary, and comprises but a small portion of all the curious books, essays, poems, etc., written upon, or in the Creole patois of the Antilles and of Louisiana.--L. H.
BRUYÈRE (LOYS)--"Proverbes Créoles de la Guyane Française." (In l'Almanach des Traditions Populaires, 1883. Paris: Maisonneuve et Cie.)
BAISSAC (M. C.)--"Étude sur le Patois Créole Mauricien." Nancy: Imprimerie Berger-Levrault & Cie., 1880.
MARBOT--"Les Bambous." Fables de La Fontaine travesties en Patois Créole par un Vieux Commandeur. Fort-de-France, Martinique: Librairie de Frederic Thomas, 1869. (Second Edition. Both editions of this admirable work are now unfortunately out of print.)
THOMAS (J. J.)--"The Theory and Practice of Creole Grammar." Port of Spain, Trinidad: The Chronicle Publishing Office, 1869.
TURIAULT (J.)--"Étude sur le Langage Créole de la Martinique." (Extrait du Bulletin de la Société Académique.) Brest: Lefournier, 1869.
DE ST.-QUENTIN (AUGUSTE)--Introduction à l'Histoire de Cayenne, suivie d'un Recueil de Contes, Fables, et Chansons en Créole. Notes et Commentaires par Alfred de St.-Quentin. Étude sur la Grammaire Créole par Auguste de St.-Quentin. Antibes: J. Marchand, 1872.
BIGELOW (HON. JOHN)--"The Wit and Wisdom of the Haytians." Being four articles upon the Creole Proverbs of Hayti, respectively published in the June, July, August and September numbers of HARPER'S MAGAZINE, 1875.