He is like an April SHOWER, that wets the stone nine times in an hour

Meaning & Analysis

An April shower is characterized by frequent, brief, and intermittent bursts of rain that can repeatedly wet a surface, like a stone, multiple times within a short period.

Insights

Inconstancy and Fickleness

The primary metaphor, as noted in the annotation, is for an inconstant or fickle person. Their moods, affections, or decisions change as frequently and unpredictably as an April shower starts and stops.

Superficial Emotion

Just as the rain only wets the surface of the stone without soaking it, the person's emotions or actions are superficial. They may show frequent bursts of feeling (like tears or laughter), but these displays lack depth and have no lasting impact.

Ineffectual Action

The repetitive but shallow action of wetting the stone signifies ineffectualness. The person may be frequently busy or starting new things, but their lack of focus and consistency means they achieve little of substance.

Nature as Human Metaphor

The proverb draws upon the archetypal symbolism of April as a transitional, unpredictable month. This connection between human temperament and the natural world reflects a pre-modern worldview where human character was often explained through metaphors drawn from nature, agriculture, and the seasons.

Psychology of Inconstancy

The image of the stone suggests a passive, enduring entity subjected to the shower's whims. This highlights the psychological effect of inconstancy on others: it is a fleeting, repetitive annoyance that ultimately makes no deep or lasting impression, leaving the other person unchanged but superficially troubled.

Critique of Superficiality

The proverb critiques a specific type of personality flaw—not malice, but a frustrating lack of substance and reliability. The actions are frequent but ineffectual, capturing the essence of someone who is all fleeting impulse and no follow-through.

Rhetorical Devices

Simile

The proverb is a direct simile, explicitly comparing a person's character to a natural phenomenon using the word 'like'.

Hyperbole

The phrase 'nine times in an hour' is a poetic exaggeration used to emphasize the extreme frequency and rapidity of the changes, making the man's inconstancy seem almost comically persistent.

Imagery

The vivid mental picture of a stone being repeatedly rained upon creates a tangible and memorable illustration of the abstract concept of fickleness.

inconstancyficklenessunreliabilityweathersuperficialityemotion

Analyzed with gemini-2.5-pro on November 25, 2025

Transcription

Quotations

— c1640, SMYTH, 23, p. 26

Annotations

Applyed to an vnconstant man.

Related Proverbs

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These connections are generated using word-embeddings. Learn more.