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 |
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| XVI. | FABLE XVI. The Sun, and Wind: |
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 | Truth in Fiction |  |
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FABLE XVI. The Sun, and Wind:
Or, Virtue heightned by Adversity.
Between the boistrous Wind, and scorching Sun,
A warm Dispute for Preference begun:
And both agreed, the Right on either side,
By a decisive Issue should be try'd;
That he, whose Influence, with most Success,
Cou'd make a Traveller himself Undress,
Shou'd be acknowledg'd the Superiour Pow'r,
And bear the Trophies of a Conquerour.
A warm Dispute for Preference begun:
And both agreed, the Right on either side,
By a decisive Issue should be try'd;
That he, whose Influence, with most Success,
Cou'd make a Traveller himself Undress,
Shou'd be acknowledg'd the Superiour Pow'r,
And bear the Trophies of a Conquerour.
The hasty Wind begun with blustring Rage,
And in a Tempest did the Man engage:
But as the Storm with greater fury blew,
He closer still his ruffl'd Garments drew;
Mended his pace, impatient of the Cold,
And, as the Wind encreas'd, kept faster hold.
To be thus baffl'd, angry Boreas storm'd,
And, since his fiercest Blasts no more perform'd,
No longer of his Breath wou'd be profuse,
For which his Porridge had more pressing Use.
And in a Tempest did the Man engage:
But as the Storm with greater fury blew,
He closer still his ruffl'd Garments drew;
Mended his pace, impatient of the Cold,
And, as the Wind encreas'd, kept faster hold.
To be thus baffl'd, angry Boreas storm'd,
And, since his fiercest Blasts no more perform'd,
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For which his Porridge had more pressing Use.
This Disappointment smiling Phœbus saw,
And when his Rays had made the Clouds withdraw,
Pointed the Vigour of his fiery Beams
Against the Man, distracted with Extreams.
At first he brought him to a gentle Heat,
Then, by degrees, improv'd it to a Sweat;
And soon, a Fire, too hot to be withstood,
Glow'd in his Face, and swelter'd in his Blood:
He panted, breathless grew, began to faint,
And sought a Shade to favour his Complaint;
Then threw his Cloaths, that burden'd him, away,
And gave the Sun the Honour of the Day.
And when his Rays had made the Clouds withdraw,
Pointed the Vigour of his fiery Beams
Against the Man, distracted with Extreams.
At first he brought him to a gentle Heat,
Then, by degrees, improv'd it to a Sweat;
And soon, a Fire, too hot to be withstood,
Glow'd in his Face, and swelter'd in his Blood:
He panted, breathless grew, began to faint,
And sought a Shade to favour his Complaint;
Then threw his Cloaths, that burden'd him, away,
And gave the Sun the Honour of the Day.
The MORAL.
‘When Blasts of adverse Fortune, like the Wind,
‘Wou'd shock the Temper of a steady Mind,
‘The Brave, their firm Resolves, unalter'd, hold,
‘Taught by the rustling Tempest to be Bold;
‘And, in a dark Eclipse, give greatest light,
‘As Stars display their Lustre most by Night.
‘Wou'd shock the Temper of a steady Mind,
‘The Brave, their firm Resolves, unalter'd, hold,
‘Taught by the rustling Tempest to be Bold;
‘And, in a dark Eclipse, give greatest light,
‘As Stars display their Lustre most by Night.
‘But when Prosperity, with soft'ning Rays,
‘Too warm a Sun-shine round the Soul displays,
‘Its yielding Virtue, less severe and nice,
‘Insensibly becomes dissolv'd in Vice:
‘So Iron, pliant, through excess of Heat,
‘Into all Forms is eas'ly cast, or beat.
‘Too warm a Sun-shine round the Soul displays,
‘Its yielding Virtue, less severe and nice,
‘Insensibly becomes dissolv'd in Vice:
‘So Iron, pliant, through excess of Heat,
‘Into all Forms is eas'ly cast, or beat.
| Truth in Fiction | |