"Plough with the favorite heifer", 1749

[Charles Doyle]

Judges 14:18.

--Charlie


---- Original message ----
>Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2006 12:42:38 -0400
>From: "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
>Subject: "Plough with the favorite heifer", 1749
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>
>"We are informed that a certain Foreign . . . who
>makes a very splendid Figure amongst us, has
>already lern'd to pursue the old English Maxim of
>ploughing with the favorite Heifer, which he
>thoroughly understands in the metaphorical Sense;
>and that a certain Naturaliz'd C-n-ss, in
>Conformity to this Maxim, was lately entertain'd
>by him with great Splendour and Expense."
>
>Northampton [England] Mercury, 23 October 1749
>(G. A. Cranfield, "The Development of the
>Provincial Newspaper, 1700-1760", page 70).
>
>What do you have, Fred?  With my limited
>sources:  not found Googling; from OED2, this
>sense of plough goes back to 1606,
>Shakespeare:  Ant. & Cl. ii. ii. 233 Royall
>Wench: She made great Cæsar lay his sword to bed,
>He ploughed her, and she cropt.
>
>Joel

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