zance of; as Vircue, Wiſdom, and the Like. The Excellency, in fine, of of the Soul is above the Beauty of the Body: Not but that the Graces of the One, and the Endowments of the Other, may Encounter ſometimes, (how rarely ſoever) in One and the Same Perſon. But Beauty and Judgment are ſo far yet from being Inſeparable, that they ſeem Effectually to Require, More or Leſs, a Diverſity of Temperament: Beſide that More Care is taken to Cultivate the Advantages of the Body than thoſe of the Mind. To Wrap up all in a Word, the World it ſelf is but a Great Shop of Carv'd Heads; and the Fox's Conceit will hold as well in the Life, as in the Fiction.
Fab. XXXIII.
A Daw and Borrow'd Feathers.
A Daw that had a mind to be Sparkiſh, Trick'd himſelf up with all the Gay-Feathers he could Muſter together: And upon the Credit of theſe Stoll'n, or Borrow'd Ornaments, he Valu'd himſelf above All the Birds in the Air Beſide. The Pride of This Vanity got him the Envy of all his Companions, who, upon a Diſcovery of the Truth of the Caſe, fell to Pluming of him by Conſent; and when Every Bird had taken his Own Feather; the Silly Daw had Nothing left him to Cover his Nakedneſs.
The Moral.
REFLEXION.
Every thing is Beſt, and Every Man Happieſt, in the State and Condition wherein Nature has Plac'd them; But if Daws will be ſetting up for Peacocks, or Aſſes for Lions, they muſt Expect, and Content themſelves to be Laugh'd at for their Pains. The Alluſion of the Daw here, and his Borrow'd Feathers, Extends to All ſorts of Impoſtors, Vain Pretenders, and Romancers, in Feats of Arms, State, Love, or the Like. It Points alſo at the Empty Affectation of Wit and Underſtanding; in which caſe, it fares as it does with men that ſet up for Quality, Birth, and Bravery, upon the Credit of a Gay Out-ſide; for Authors may be Cozen'd upon the Tick, as well as Taylors: Nay, we have ſeen ſome, even of our Firſt-Rate Writers that have been Better at Diſguiſing other Peoples Works, than Furniſhing any thing of their Own; That is to ſay; upon the taking of them to pieces, the Stuff and Trimming is found to be Wholly Stol'n, and New-Fourbiſh'd; and Nothing, in ſhort, that they can Aſſume to Themſelves but the Needle and Thread that Tackt the Compoſition together. Now when theſe Plagiaries come to be Stript of their Borrow'd, or Pilfer'd Ornaments, there's the Daw in the Fable truly Moraliz'd.
