Ęsop's fables, illustr. by E. Griset. With text based chiefly upon Croxall, La Fontaine, and L'Estrange

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Page 234 - of tender age, In this important care engage ? Older and abler passed you by ; How strong are those, how weak am I ! Should I presume to bear you hence, Those friends of mine may take offence. Excuse me, then. You know my heart ; But dearest friends, alas ! must part. How shall we all lament ! Adieu ! For, see, the hounds are just in view !
Page 230 - FRIENDSHIP, like love, is but a name, Unless to one you stint the flame. The child, whom many fathers share, Hath seldom known a father's care. 'Tis thus in friendships ; who depend On many, rarely find a friend. A Hare, who in a civil way, Complied with ev'ry thing, like GAY, Was known by all the bestial train, Who haunt the wood, or graze the plain.
Page 230 - And from the deep-mouth'd thunder flies : She starts, she stops, she pants for breath ; She hears the near advance of death ; She doubles to mislead the hound, And measures back her mazy round, Till, fainting in the public way, Half-dead with fear she gasping lay.
Page 362 - And, to the murmurs of the train, Thus spoke the Nestor of the plain. ' When I had health and strength like you The toils of servitude I knew ; Now grateful man rewards my pains, -And gives me all these wide domains. At will I crop the year's increase ; My latter life is rest and peace. I grant, to man we lend our pains, And aid him to correct the plains...
Page 361 - Shall then our nobler jaws submit To foam and champ the galling bit? Shall haughty man my back bestride ? Shall the sharp spur provoke my side ? Forbid it Heavens ! Reject the rein ; Your shame, your infamy, disdain.
Page ix - Indeed, you are a very fine thing; but I know not any business you have here. I make no scruple of declaring that my taste lies quite another way ; and I had rather have one grain of dear delicious barley, than all the jewels under the sun.
Page 328 - It is no more than justice," quoth the farmer, " to be sure. But what did I say ? I mistake. It is your bull that has killed one of my oxen." " Indeed ! " says the lawyer ; " that alters the case : I must inquire into the affair ; and if " " And IF ! " said the farmer — "the business, I find, would have been concluded without an IF, had you been as ready to do justice to others as to exact it from them.
Page 238 - Boldly to ev'ry thing pretend, And men your talents shall commend. I knew the Great. Observe me right; So shall you grow like man polite.
Page 235 - Just as she spoke, a Pigmy Sprite Pops through the key-hole, swift as light ; Perch'd on the cradle's top he stands, And thus her folly reprimands : Whence sprung the vain conceited lie, That we the world with fools supply ? What ! give our sprightly race away, For the dull helpless sons of clay ! Besides, by partial fondness shown, Like you we doat upon our own.
Page 246 - I'd pawn my word, A Goose would be the finer bird. Nature, to hide her own defects, Her bungled work with finery decks : Were Geese set off with half that show, Would men admire the peacock ? No.

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