Fables: Original and Selected, by the Most Esteemed European and Oriental Authors: with an Introductory Dissertation on the History of Fable, Comprising Biographical Notices of the Most Eminent Fabulists |
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Page v
... true . This , no doubt , is one reason why , in after life , persons are sometimes disposed to look upon Fables as childish in themselves , and not the best means of affording instruction to youth . It was this that induced Jean Jacques ...
... true . This , no doubt , is one reason why , in after life , persons are sometimes disposed to look upon Fables as childish in themselves , and not the best means of affording instruction to youth . It was this that induced Jean Jacques ...
Page xx
... true , that what has pleased the child will lose none of its attractions for the man . There is , in this species of entertainment , more than a mere flight of imagination to impress the memory . We learn something of human nature , and ...
... true , that what has pleased the child will lose none of its attractions for the man . There is , in this species of entertainment , more than a mere flight of imagination to impress the memory . We learn something of human nature , and ...
Page xxv
... true , than that it is much happier for us to share the envy than the pity of mankind . And if the first of these is by no means eligible , if we could avoid it , how much more ought we to take care to give as little occasion as ...
... true , than that it is much happier for us to share the envy than the pity of mankind . And if the first of these is by no means eligible , if we could avoid it , how much more ought we to take care to give as little occasion as ...
Page xxvi
... true one to the failing they possess . It is the province of Fable to unmask this kind of self - deceit and duplicity ; to inform us without arousing our passions into opposition , that the unction which we are willing to lay to our ...
... true one to the failing they possess . It is the province of Fable to unmask this kind of self - deceit and duplicity ; to inform us without arousing our passions into opposition , that the unction which we are willing to lay to our ...
Page xxviii
... true inspiration of the Fabulists , and has wrought in that spirit of love for his subject , which seldom fails to attain its object . His pictures are no cold or literal transcripts from the narratives which suggested them ; but ...
... true inspiration of the Fabulists , and has wrought in that spirit of love for his subject , which seldom fails to attain its object . His pictures are no cold or literal transcripts from the narratives which suggested them ; but ...
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Common terms and phrases
admired Æsop amorous songs animal appeared asked beast beauty bees began behold better birds BORROWSTOUNE butterfly Caliph cock cormorant creature cried crow dear death dervise devoured eagle endeavoured enemy Esop exclaimed eyes Fable father favour favourite fear flew flock fool forest fortune FROG give goat happened happy head hear heart honour horse Jove Jupiter king labour laughed laurustinus least lion live look mankind master mastiff mind miserable Momus morning mouse nature neighbour never night nightingale observed occasion once pains parrot passed perceived person poets poor pray prey pride RAVEN replied returned scarcely sheep shepherd shew silk-worms Sir Roger L'Estrange sister smile soon stag stork sure thee things thou thought took toy'd tree Vex'd wasps whole wolf wretch Xanthus young
Popular passages
Page 256 - For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: but the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Page 304 - The salt is spilt, to me it fell. Then, to contribute to my loss, My knife and fork were laid across ; On Friday, too ! the day I dread ! Would I were safe at home in bed ! 10 Last night (I vow to heav'n 'tis true !) Bounce from the fire a coffin flew.
Page 173 - ... by, which he would at intervals count and contemplate with much satisfaction. Yet still his acquisitions were not equal to his desires, he only found himself above want, whereas he desired to be possessed of affluence. One day, as he was indulging these wishes, he was informed, that a neighbour of his had found a pan of money under ground, having dreamed of it three nights running before.
Page 173 - Here," cried he, in raptures, to himself, ' here it is ! under this stone there is room for a very large pan of diamonds indeed ! I must e'en go home to my wife, and tell her the whole affair, and get her to assist me in turning it up.
Page 75 - The vizier to this great sultan (whether an humourist or an enthusiast, we are not informed) pretended to have learned of a certain dervise to understand the language of birds, so that there was not a bird that could open his mouth but the vizier knew what it was he said.
Page 288 - It happened at Athens during a public representation of some play exhibited in honour of the Commonwealth, that an old gentleman came too late for a place suitable to his age and quality. Many of the young gentlemen who observed the difficulty and confusion he was in madiTsigns to him that they would accommodate him if he came where they sat. The good man bustled through the crowd accordingly, but when he came to the seats...
Page 175 - What dignity's in human nature ! " Says Man, the most conceited creature, As from a cliff he cast his eye, And viewed the sea and arched sky. The sun was sunk beneath the main ; The moon and all the starry train Hung the vast vault of Heaven.
Page 173 - You have lost a camel," said he, to the merchants ; •' indeed we have," they replied ; "" was he not blind in his right eye ? and lame in his left leg ?" said the dervise ;
Page 334 - And from the deep-mouthed 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...
Page 173 - Whang, the miller, was naturally avaricious ; nobody loved money better than he, or more respected those that had it. When people would talk of a rich man in company, Whang would say, I know him very well ; he and I have been long acquainted ; he and I are intimate...