Which might to future speakers be A model for the use of each. Not long, howe'er, had Rome the sense VIII. THE OLD MAN AND THE THREE YOUNG ONES.1 A MAN was planting at fourscore. Three striplings, who their satchels wore, Pray, in the name of common sense, Leave thou to us, to whom such things belong.' The settled part of man's estate Is very brief, and comes full late. While so uncertain is the sequel, Our terms of future life are equal; For none can tell who last shall close his eyes Nor any moment give us, ere it flies, Shall owe these cooling fruits and shades to me. › Abstemius. From ministering to other hearts delight? I see full many mornings chase the glooms Was drown'd within the very port. And perish'd by a random blow. The third was kill'd by falling from a tree On doing good intent The things which we have said. IX. THE MICE AND THE OWL. BEWARE of saying, 'Lend an ear,' But now a clear exceptiou see, A thing which with the air of fable, A pine was by a woodman fell'd, Which ancient, huge, and hollow tree A bird the Fates had kept in fee, Within the caverns of the pine, With other tenants of that mine, Were found full many footless mice, 1 A bird the Fates, &c.-The owl was the bird of Atropos, the most terrible of the Fates, to whom was entrusted the task of cutting the thread of life. But well provision'd, fat, and nice. Next time, resolved to make them stay, Them all at once, did health permit. Pronounce this owl a mere machine. Of maiming mice when taken lean, If reason did no service there, I do not know it anywhere. Observe the course of argument: These vermin are no sooner caught than gone: But this to all cannot be done. And then, for future need, A better use of logic's tools! Upon your faith, what different art of thought 'La Fontaine, in a note, asserts that the subject of this fable, however marvellous, was a fact which was actually observed. His commentators, however, think the observers must have been in some measure mistaken, and I agree with them.-TRANSLATOR. In Fable I., Book X., La Fontaine also argues that brutes have reasoning faculties. EPILOGUE. 'Tis thus, by crystal fount, my muse hath sung, From hosts of beings borr'wing nature's speech. I've made them actors on my motley stage; There's none that talketh, simpleton or sage, The lessons give, which doubtless I've omitted, For while my muse her harmless work hath plied, All Europe to our sovereign yields.—An allusion to the conclusion of the peace of Nimeguen by Louis XIV., in 1678. Louis to some extent negotiated the treaty of this peace in person, and having bought the support of the English king, Charles II. (as shown in the note to Fable XVIII., Book VII.) the terms of the treaty were almost his own. The glory of the achievement procured for Louis the surname of "le Grand.” The king's praises upon this account are further sounded by La Fontaine in Fable X., Book XII. 2 With the Epilogue to the XIth Book La Fontaine concluded his issue of Fables up to 1678-9. The XIIth and last Book was not added till 1694, the year before the poet's death. See Translator's Preface. BOOK XII. I. THE COMPANIONS OF ULYSSES. TO MONSEIGNEur the duke de bourgogne.1 DEAR prince, a special favourite of the skies, No lack of his that, with victorious force, Whom one short month made master of the Rhine.. It needed then upon the foe to dash; Perhaps, to-day, such generalship were rash. But hush,-they say the Loves and Smiles And of such deities your court Is constantly composed, in short. 1 Duke de Bourgogne.-Louis Duke de Bourgogne (Burgundy), grandson of Louis XIV. He was the son of Louis de Bourbon, the Dauphin, to whom La Fontaine had dedicated the first collection of his Fables. (See note, Dedication of Book I.) He was born in 1682, and at the time of this dedication was about twelve years of age, and the pupil of Fénélon. See Translator's Preface. 2 In war a hero.--Louis, the Dauphin, father of the prince addressed. The Dauphin was then in command of the army in Germany. |