Truth in Fiction Or, Morality in Masquerade. A Collection of Two hundred twenty five Select Fables of Aesop, and other Authors. Done into English Verse. By Edmund Arwaker |
 | I. |
| I. |
| II. |
 | III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
| XLIII. |
| XLIV. |
| XLV. |
| XLVI. |
| XLVII. |
| XLVIII. |
| XLIX. |
| L. |
| LI. |
| LII. |
| LIII. |
| LIV. |
| LV. |
| LVI. |
| LVII. |
| LVIII. |
| LIX. |
| LX. |
| LXI. |
| LXII. |
| LXIII. |
| LXIV. |
| LXV. |
| LXVI. |
| LXVII. |
| LXVIII. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
 | Truth in Fiction |  |
FABLE II. The Wooden-God.
Foul Means must do what Fair Means can't.
A man of good Devotion, ill address'd,
A Wooden-Idol for his God caress'd;
Ador'd the Senseless Stock, and daily Pray'd
The Deaf to Hear, the Helpless to give Aid:
But still, the more he Supplications made,
The more his whole Affairs went retrograde.
Incens'd, he shou'd in vain so often call,
He dash'd the sacred Block against a Wall;
There broke his stupid Logger-head, and found
A shining Treasure issue from the Wound:
Which gath'ring up, Perverse and False, he cry'd,
That, while I honour'd you, your Help deny'd!
But since, as you deserv'd, you fell, my Rage,
Hath made my future Days a Golden Age.
A Wooden-Idol for his God caress'd;
Ador'd the Senseless Stock, and daily Pray'd
The Deaf to Hear, the Helpless to give Aid:
But still, the more he Supplications made,
The more his whole Affairs went retrograde.
Incens'd, he shou'd in vain so often call,
He dash'd the sacred Block against a Wall;
There broke his stupid Logger-head, and found
A shining Treasure issue from the Wound:
Which gath'ring up, Perverse and False, he cry'd,
That, while I honour'd you, your Help deny'd!
196
Hath made my future Days a Golden Age.
The MORAL.
‘Untoward Wretches, like this stubborn Wood,‘Are never, but by strong Compulsion, good:
‘When soothing Words, and soft Entreaties, fail;
‘Harsh Language, and rough Usage, must prevail:
‘Their resty Souls thus to Compliance bring;
‘Like Birds, that can, and will not, make them sing.
| Truth in Fiction | |