Set a beggar on horseback, and he'll ride to the devil

Set a beggar on horseback, and he'll ride to the devil.

Prov. If a poor person becomes wealthy, he or she will quickly become corrupt. Jill: Since Phil inherited all that money, all he does is go to parties and take drugs. Jane: Yep. Set a beggar on horseback, and he'll ride to the devil.

See also: and, beggar, devil, on, ride, set, to

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.