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Fables of La Fontaine — a New Edition, with Notes by Jean de La Fontaine
page 44 of 549 (08%)
Of all his fables, the Oak and the Reed is said to have been the
favourite of La Fontaine. But his critics have almost unanimously given
the palm of excellence to the Animals sick of the Plague, the first of
the seventh book. Its exquisite poetry, the perfection of its dialogue,
and the weight of its moral, well entitle it to the place. That must have
been a soul replete with honesty, which could read such a lesson in the
ears of a proud and oppressive court. Indeed, we may look in vain through
this encyclopaedia of fable for a sentiment which goes to justify the
strong in their oppression of the weak. Even in the midst of the fulsome
compliments which it was the fashion of his age to pay to royalty, La
Fontaine maintains a reserve and decency peculiar to himself. By an
examination of his fables, we think, we might fairly establish for him
the character of an honest and disinterested lover and respecter of his
species. In his fable entitled Death and the Dying, he unites the genius
of Pascal and Moliere; in that of the Two Doves is a tenderness quite
peculiar to himself, and an insight into the heart worthy of Shakspeare.
In his Mogul's Dream are sentiments worthy of the very high-priest of
nature, and expressed in his own native tongue with a felicity which
makes the translator feel that all his labours are but vanity and
vexation of spirit. But it is not the purpose of this brief Preface to
criticize the Fables. It is sufficient to say, that the work occupies a
position in French literature, which, after all has been said that can be
for Gay, Moore, and other English versifiers of fables, is left quite
vacant in ours.

Our author was elected a member of the French Academy in 1684, and
received with the honour of a public session. He read on this occasion a
poem of exquisite beauty, addressed to his benefactress, Madame de la
Sabliere. In that distinguished body of men he was a universal favourite,
and none, perhaps, did more to promote its prime object--the improvement
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