An overabundance of a good thing. Origin of Embarrassment of Riches This idiom is a literal translation of a French play, L’Embarras des richesses, from the year 1726, by the writer Leonor Jean Christine Soulas d’Allainval. It was translated to English by John Ozell and opened in London in 1738.
An Embarrassment of Riches
Diamonds, what crushing weight they've been under
The Emerald speaks of her brooch companions, Fakes!
Sapphire says no more, touchy Topaz says, Quite right!
The ruby feels exactly the same - each is a reluctant gem!
Bored, you wouldn't see them on Te Hena o Mai'o,
"The Queen's Diadem"
And the little Moonstones have to agree,
nothing but an embarrassment of riches!
The songs and art in this book are about our collective emergence after the pandemic and trauma of the last few years - comprised of 5 collections: World as Refuge, Where We Live, In Our Hands, Rhythms of Change and What We See & Sow.
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