Brewer's: Rolling Stone

A rolling stone gathers no moss. Greek: (Erasmus: Proverbs; Assiduitas.) Latin: Saxum volutum non obducitur musco (or Saxum volubile etc.) Planta quae saepius transfertus non coalescit. (Fabius.) Saepius plantata arbor fructum profert exiguum. French: Pierre qui roule n'amasse jamais mousse. La pierre souvent remuée n'amasse pas volontiers mousse. Pierre souvent remuée n'attire pas mousse. Italian: Pietra mossa non fa muschio. “Three removes are as bad as a fire.”

I never saw an oft-removed tree, Nor yet an oft-removed family. That throve so well as those that settled be.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
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