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. | FABLE XLII. The Elm and Osier: |
| 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 XLII. The Elm and Osier:
Or, Submit, and Conquer.
A Stately
Elm, that num'rous Years had stood,
And grac'd the Margin of a Rapid Flood;
(By its large Bulk, to Vanity betray'd)
A neighb'ring Osier's Weakness did upbraid;
That still it yielded to the Water's Course,
While his fix'd Root withstood its strongest Force.
And grac'd the Margin of a Rapid Flood;
(By its large Bulk, to Vanity betray'd)
A neighb'ring Osier's Weakness did upbraid;
That still it yielded to the Water's Course,
While his fix'd Root withstood its strongest Force.
But Pride do's seldom a sure Station know;
A sudden Change brought the vain Boaster low:
The swelling Torrent, too impetuous grown,
O'er-turn'd the Elm, and bore its Trophy down.
Thus, by a just Return, its Pride was quell'd,
And fell, by what it had been long upheld:
While still the pliant Osier kept its ground,
And smiling saw its first Despiser drown'd.
A sudden Change brought the vain Boaster low:
61
O'er-turn'd the Elm, and bore its Trophy down.
Thus, by a just Return, its Pride was quell'd,
And fell, by what it had been long upheld:
While still the pliant Osier kept its ground,
And smiling saw its first Despiser drown'd.
Then said; You act unkindly, I profess,
To leave your Friend and Neighbour in Distress:
Why shou'd your Greatness flinch, while I stand fast?
Are your Bravado's come to this at last?
To leave your Friend and Neighbour in Distress:
Why shou'd your Greatness flinch, while I stand fast?
Are your Bravado's come to this at last?
The MORAL.
‘Wisely the Men, who their own Weakness know,‘Yield to the Vigour of a stronger Foe:
‘Submission calms and temperates the Rage
‘By which they fall, who dare its Force engage:
‘Resistance causes a more furious Shock;
‘As Waves dash most on an opposing Rock.
| Truth in Fiction | |