WISDOM Or THE AXCIKXTS. 441 



only with a few followers, who were his professed admirers, amongst 

 whom the nymph Kcho 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 noonday heat ; when, beholding his 

 image in the water, he fell into such a rapture and admiration of him 

 self, that he could by no means be got away, but remained continually 

 fixed and gazing, till it length he was turned into a flower, of his owr. 

 name, which appears early in the spring, and is consecrated to the 

 infernal deities, 1 luto, Proserpine, and the Furies. 



EXPLANATION. This fable seems to paint the behaviour and 

 fortune of those, who, for their beauty, or other endowments, where 

 with nature (without any industry of their own) has graced and 

 adorned them, arc 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 ; sec little company, and those only such as highly admire and 

 reverence them ; or, like an echo, assent to all they say. 



And they who arc depraved, and rendered still fonder of themselves 

 by this custom, grow strangely indolent, unactivc, 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 out 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 of a ship in the sea, was by the 

 i-nciciUs consecrated to the infernal shades and powers. 



XV. THE KAKLE OF JUNO S COURTSHIP. 



LXPLAINKD OF Sl NMISSION AND AIIJF.CTIMN. 



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, etc. ; but when he attempted Juno, he turned himscll 

 into the most ignoble and ridiculous creature, even that of a wretched, 

 \vct, wcarher-beaten, affrighted, trembling, and half-starved cuckoo. 



.. This is a wise fable, and drawn from the very 

 entrails of morality. The mora i is, that men should not be conceited 

 of themselves, and imagine that a discovery of their excellences will 

 always render them acceptable ; fcr this can only succeed according 



