AN

ESSAY

ON

FABLE.

INTRODUCTION,

WHOEVER undertakes to compofe a Fable, whe-. ther of the fublimer and more complex kind, as the epic and dramatic; or of the lower or more fimple, as what has been called the Efopean; fhould make it his principal intention to illuftrate fome one moral or prudential maxim. To this point the compofition in all its parts must be directed; and this will lead him to defcribe fome action proper to enforce the maxim he has chofen. In feveral refpects therefore the greater Fable and the lefs agree. It is the bufinefs of both to teach fome particular moral, exemplified by an action, and this enlivened by natural incidents. Both alike must be supported by appofite and proper characters, and both be furnished with fentiments and language fuitable to the characters thus employed. I would by no means however infer, that, to produce one of these small pieces requires the fame degree of genius as to form an epic or dramatic Fable. All I would infinuate, is, that the apologue has a right to fome fhare of our esteem, from the relation it bears to the poems before-mentioned, as it is honourable to fpring from a noble ftem, although in ever fo remote a

branch. A perfect Fable, even of this inferior kind, seems a much stronger proof of genius than the mere narrative of an event. The latter indeed requires judgment : the former, together with judgment, demands an effort of the imagination.

Having thus endeavoured to procure these little compofitions as much regard as they may fairly claim, I proceed to treat of fome particulars most effential to their chara&er.

SECTION I.

Of the Truth or Moral of a Fable.

TIS IS the very effence of a Fable to convey fome moral or useful Truth beneath the fhadow of an allegory. It is this chiefly that diftinguishes a Fable from a Tale; and indeed gives it the pre-eminence in point of ufe and dignity. A Tale may confift of an event either ferious or comic; and, provided it be told agreeably, may be excellent in its kind, though it fhould imply no fort of moral. But the action or Fable is contrived on purpose to teach and to imprint some Truth; and fhould clearly and obviously include the illustration of it in the very catastrophe.

The Truth to be preferred on this occafion, fhould neither be too obvious, nor trite, nor trivial. Such would ill deferve the pains employed in Fable to convey it. As little alfo fhould it be one that is very dubious, dark, or controverted. It fhould be of fuch a nature as to challenge the affent of every ingenious and fober judgment; never a point of mere fpeculation; but tending to inform or to remind the reader of the proper means that lead to happiness, or at least to

the several duties, decorums, and proprieties of conduct, which each particular Fable endeavours to enforce.

The reason why Fable has been fo much efteemed in all ages, and in all countries, is perhaps owing to the polite manner in which its maxims are conveyed. The very article of giving instruction supposes at least à fuperiority of wisdom in the adviser; a circumftance by no means favourable to the ready admiffion of advice. 'Tis the peculiar excellence of Fable to wave this air of fuperiority: it leaves the reader to collect the moral; who, by thus discovering more than is shown him, finds his principle of felf-love gratified inftead of being difgufted. The attention is either taken off from the adviler; or, if otherwife, we are at least flattered by his humility and address.

Befides inftruction, as conveyed by Fable, does not only lay afide its lofty mien and fupercilious afpect, but appears dreft in all the fmiles and graces which can ftrike the imagination, or engage the paffions. It pleases, in order to convince; and it imprints its moral fo much the deeper, in proportion as it entertains; fo that we may be faid to feel our duties at the very inftant we comprehend them,

I am very fenfible with what difficulty a Fable is brought to a strict agreement with the foregoing account of it. This, however, ought to be the writer's aim. 'Tis the fimple manner in which the Morals of Efop are interwoven with his Fables, that distinguishes him, and gives him the preference to all other Mythologifts. His Mountain delivered of a Moufe, produces the moral of his Fable, in ridicule of pompous pretenders; and his Crow, when the drops her cheese, lets fall, as it were by accident, the strongest admonition against the power of flatttery. There is no need of a separate sentence to explain it ; no poffibility of im-" preffing it deeper, by that load we too often fee of accumulated reflections. Indeed the Fable of the Cock and the Precious Stone is in this refpect very excep

tionable. The leffon it inculcates is fo dark and ambiguous, that different expofitors have given it quite oppofite interpretations; fome imputing the Cock's rejection of the Diamond to his wifdom, and others to his ignorance.

Strictly speaking then, one should render needlefs any detatched or explicit Moral. Efop, the father of this kind of writing, difclaimed any fuch affiftance. "Tis the province of Fable to give it birth in the mind of the perfon for whom it is intended; otherwise the precept is direct, which is contrary to the nature and end of allegory. However, in order to give all neceffary affiftance to young readers, an Index is added to this collection, containing the Subject or Moral of each Fable, to which the reader may occafionally apply.

After all, the greatest fault in any compofition (for I can hardly allow that name to riddles) is obfcurity. There can be no purpose answered by a work that is unintelligible. Annibal Carracci, and Raphael himfelf, rather than risk fo unpardonable a fault, have admitted verbal explanations into fome of their beft pictures. It must be confeffed, that every ftory is not capable of telling its own Moral. In a cafe of this nature, and this only, it fhould be exprefsly introduced. Per. haps alfo where the point is doubtful, we ought to fhow enough for the lefs acute, even at the hazard of showing too much for the more fagacious: who, for this very reason, that they are more fagacious, will pardon a fuperfluity which is such to them alone.

But, on thefe occafions, it has been matter of difpute, whether the Moral is better introduced at the end or beginning of a Fable. Efop, as I faid before, univerfally rejected any feparate Moral. Those we now find at the clofe of his Fables, were placed there by other hands. Among the ancients, Phædrus; and Gay, among the moderns, inferted theirs at the beginning: La Motte prefers them at the conclufion; and Fontaine difpofes of them indifcriminately, at the be

ginning or end, as he fees convenient. If, amidst the authority of such great names, I might venture to mention my own opinion, I should rather prefix them as an introduction, than add them as an appendage. For I would neither pay my reader nor myself so bad a compliment, as to fuppofe, after he had read the Fable, that he was not able to difcover its meaning. Befides,

when the Moral of a Fable is not very prominent and striking, a leading thought at the beginning puts the reader in a proper track. He knows the game which he purfues: and, like a beagle on a warm fcent, he follows the sport with alacrity, in proportion to his intelligence. On the other hand, if he has no previous intimation of the defign, he is puzzled throughout the Fable; and cannot determine upon its merit without the trouble of a fresh perufal. A ray of light, imparted at first, may show him the tendency and propriety of every expreffion as he goes along; but while he travels in the dark, no wonder if he stumble or mistake his way.

SECTION II.

Of the Action and Incidents proper for a Fable. IN choofing the action, or allegory, three conditions are altogether expedient. 1. It must be clear: that is, it ought to show without equivocation, precifely and obviously, what we intend fhould be understood. 2. It must be one and entire: that is, it must not be compofed of feparate and independent actions, but muft tend in all its circumftances, to the completion of one fingle event. 3. It must be natural; that is, founded if not on truth, at least on probability; on popular opinion; on that relation and analogy which things bear to one another, when we have gratuitously endowed them with the human faculties of fpeech and reafon. And these conditions are taken from the na