Mind in your purse

Posted by Pamela on March 04, 2008 at 05:17:

In Reply to: Mind in your purse posted by Deena on March 03, 2008 at 13:51:

: Does anyone know what the phrase "Mind in your purse" means?

Well, if someone said "mind your purse" to me, I would think they were saying "keep an eye on your purse or someone might steal it". This seems to be a common understanding jusdging by a goodgle search. I'm wondering if the "mind" has anything to do with the meaning of "mind" as "remember" (i.e. "mind your manners"). Byron, the poet, also had it as a line in a poem - I think in this context it may have meant - be thrifty (with your passions) but I'm not sure. Here is the first and last part of the poem:

GROWING OLD

But now at thirty years my hair is grey--
(I wonder what it will be like at forty?
I thought of a peruke the other day--)
My heart is not much greener; and, in short, I
Have squandered my whole summer while 'twas May,
And feel no more the spirit to retort; I
Have spent my life, both interest and principal,
And deem not, what I deemed, my soul invincible.
No more--no more--Oh! never more on me
The freshness of the heart can fall like dew,
Which out of all the lovely things we see
Extracts emotions beautiful and new;
Hived in our bosoms like the bag o' the bee.
Think'st thou the honey with those objects grew?
Alas! 'twas not in them, but in thy power
To double even the sweetness of the flower.
No more--no more--Oh! never more, my heart,
Canst thou be my sole world, my universe!

...

What are the hopes of man? Old Egypt's King
Cheops erected the first Pyramid
And largest, thinking it was just the thing
To keep his memory whole, and mummy hid;
But somebody or other rummaging
Burglariously broke his coffin's lid:
Let not a monument give you or me hopes,
Since not a pinch of dust remains of Cheops.
But I, being fond of true philosophy,
Say very often to myself, 'Alas!
All things that have been born were born to die,
And flesh (which Death mows down to hay) is grass;
You've passed your youth not so unpleasantly,
And if you had it o'er again--'twould pass--
So thank your stars that matters are not worse,
And read your Bible, sir, and mind your purse.

• Mind in your purse pamela 04/March/08
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