III.

THE FABLE OF NARCISSUS;

EXPLAINED OF SELF-LOVE.

NARCISSUS is said to have been extremely beautiful and comely, but intolerably proud and disdainful; so that, pleased with himself, and scorning the world, he led a solitary life in the woods; hunting only with a few followers, who were his professed admirers: and amongst the rest, the nymph Echo was his constant attendant. In this method of life it was once his fate to approach a clear fountain; where he laid himself down to rest, in the noon-day heat; when, beholding his image in the water, he fell into such a rapture and admiration of himself, that he could by no means be got away; but remained continually fixed and gazing; till at length he was turned into a flower, of his own name, which appears early in the spring, and is consecrated to the infernal deities, Pluto, Proserpine, and the furies.

EXPLANATION.

THIS fable seems to paint the behaviour and fortune of those, who, for their beauty, or other endowments, wherewith nature, (without any

industry of their own,) has graced and adorned them, are extravagantly fond of themselves. For men of such a disposition generally affect retirement, and absence from public affairs; as a life of business must necessarily subject them to many neglects and contempts, which might disturb and ruffle their minds: whence such persons commonly lead a solitary, private, and shadowy life; see little company, and those only such as highly admire and reverence them; or, like an echo, assent to all they say.

And they who are depraved, and rendered still fonder of themselves by this custom, grow strangely indolent, unactive, and perfectly stupid. The Narcissus, a spring-flower, is an elegant emblem of this temper, which at first flourishes, and is talked of, but when ripe, frustrates the expectation conceived of it.

And that this flower should be sacred to the infernal powers, carries on the allusion still farther; because men of this humour are perfectly useless in all respects: for whatever yields no fruit, but passes, and is no more, like the way a ship in the sea, was by the ancients consecrated to the infernal shades and powers.

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IV.

THE FABLE OF JUNO'S COURTSHIP;

EXPLAINED OF SUBMISSION, AND ARJECTION.

THE poets tell us, that Jupiter, to carry on his love-intrigues, assumed many different shapes, as of a bull, an eagle, a swan, a golden shower, &c. but when he attempted Juno, he turned himself into the most ignoble and ridiculous creature; even that of a wretched, wet, weatherbeaten, affrighted, trembling, and half-starved cuckow.

EXPLANATION.

THIS is a wise fable, and drawn from the very entrails of morality. The moral is, that men should not be conceited of themselves, and imagine that a discovery of their excellencies will always render them acceptable; for this can only succeed according to the nature and manners of the person they court, or solicit; who, if he be a man not of the same gifts and endowments, but altogether of a haughty and contemptuous behaviour, here represented by the person of Juno, they must entirely drop the character that carries the least show of worth, or grace

fulness; if they proceed upon any other footing it is downright folly: nor is it sufficient to act the deformity of obsequiousness, unless they really change themselves, and become abject and contemptible in their persons.

V.

THE FABLE OF CASSANDRA ;

EXPLAINED OF TOO FREE AND UNSEASONABLE ADVICE.

THE Poets relate, that Apollo falling in love with Cassandra, was still deluded and put off by her, yet fed with hopes, till she had got from him the gift of prophecy; and having now obtained her end, she flatly rejected his suit. Apollo, unable to recal his rash gift, yet enraged to be out-witted by a girl, annexed this penalty to it, that though she should always prophesy true, she should never be believed; whence her divinations were always slighted, even when she again and again predicted the ruin of her country.

EXPLANATION.

THIS fable seems invented to express the insignificance of unseasonable advice. For they who are conceited, stubborn, or intractible, and listen not to the instructions of Apollo, the god

of harmony, so as to learn and observe the modulations and measures of affairs, the sharps and flats of discourse, the difference between judicious and vulgar ears, and the proper times of speech and silence, let them be ever so intelligent, and ever so frank of their advice, or their counsels ever so good and just, yet all their endeavours, either of persuasion or force, are of little significance, and rather hasten the ruin of those they advise. But at last, when the calamitous event has made the sufferers feel the effect of their neglect, they too late reverence their advisers, as deep, foreseeing, and faithful prophets.

Of this we have a remarkable instance in Cato of Utica, who discovered afar off, and long foretold, the approaching ruin of his country, both in the first conspiracy, and as it was prosecuted in the civil war between Cæsar and Pompey, yet did no good the while, but rather hurt the commonwealth, and hurried on its destruction, which Cicero wisely observed in these words: "Cato, indeed, judges excellently but prejudices the state; for he speaks as in the commonwealth of Plato, and not as in the dregs of Romulus."

* The fable of Dionysius or Bacchus, explained of the human passions, should have come next after this, so as