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. |
| II. |
 | III. |
| 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. | FABLE XXXIV. The Tortoise and Eagle:
|
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
| XLIII. |
| XLIV. |
| XLV. |
| XLVI. |
| XLVII. |
| XLVIII. |
| XLIX. |
| L. |
| LI. |
| LII. |
| LIII. |
| LIV. |
| LV. |
| LVI. |
| LVII. |
| LVIII. |
| IV. |
 | Truth in Fiction |  |
242
FABLE XXXIV. The Tortoise and Eagle:
Or, The Higher Flight, the Lower Fall.
A
Tortoise, that despis'd her humble State,
Resolv'd among the Clouds to try her Fate;
And pray'd an Eagle to assist her Flight,
That she, like him, might soar a lofty Height.
The Eagle answer'd, Nature had deny'd
The only Means to gratifie her Pride;
Yet, tempted by large Promises she made,
The Creeping Animal aloft convey'd:
But, finding there her specious Offers vain,
With Indignation hurl'd her down again.
Thus she, who wou'd among the Stars reside,
Was, like a Meteor, darted thence, and dy'd.
Resolv'd among the Clouds to try her Fate;
And pray'd an Eagle to assist her Flight,
That she, like him, might soar a lofty Height.
The Eagle answer'd, Nature had deny'd
The only Means to gratifie her Pride;
Yet, tempted by large Promises she made,
The Creeping Animal aloft convey'd:
But, finding there her specious Offers vain,
With Indignation hurl'd her down again.
Thus she, who wou'd among the Stars reside,
Was, like a Meteor, darted thence, and dy'd.
The MORAL.
‘Their meaner Fortune wisely Men endure,‘And in that humble Station live secure:
‘But, by aspiring to a greater Height,
‘Derive their Ruin from the dang'rous Flight.
| Truth in Fiction | |