Tis the nature of the beast.
Meaning: Creatures act according to their inherent character; expecting otherwise ignores fundamental reality.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Human Nature
- Need makes the old wife trot. — Urgent necessity compels even the most sluggish or elderly to move quickly and act.
- Love thy neighbour, but pull not down thy hedge. — Affection for others needn't require sacrificing the boundaries that protect your own pro…
- It is the part of a wise man to take no notice of many things. — Selective attention to trivial matters preserves mental energy for what genuinely demands…
- A man may cause his own dog to bite him. — Mistreatment of those dependent on you creates the very dangers you fear from them.
- A man in a passion rides a horse that runs away with him. — Uncontrolled anger clouds judgment, making you lose control over your own decisions and a…
- If you play with a fool at home, he'll play with you in the market. — Familiarity with foolish people emboldens them to embarrass you publicly.