1806.] 
requifite in works of art wholly original. 
He criticifes fo well, one is anxious he 
fhould create ; but from his creations one 
is for recalling him to his criticifm, 
Odes, fragments of didaétic poetry, 
rimed fables, fucceed. One by way of 
fample : 
The Eagle and the Owl. 
Thus with Minerva’s bird Jove’s eagle ftrove : 
*¢ Vile native of the dark, why here above ?” 
*¢ Gentler, I beg—joint tenants of the fky 
We ’re both—are you a holier bird than I ?” 
The eagte faid, ** We’re both in heaven, 
*tis true, 
Iby my ftrength of wing; your goddefs lift- 
ed you.” : a 
Apologies of Lemmius, of Cochleus, 
of Cardan, of the anonymous author Jz- 
epti Religicfi, and of Horace, filla curious 
volume. Moft of thele difcuffions, which 
wear the garb of letters, throw light on 
obfcure points of the hiftory of the Refor- 
mation, aad exhibit command of library, 
and a curious lonelinefs cf inveftigation. 
The difplay of recondite reading is a com- 
mon foible of the young learned, becaufe 
it is prefumed to imply a previous exhauf- 
tioa of good reading. The lover of wif- 
dom can only improve in the company of 
his peers : the great writers, therefore, not 
the fcarce writers, ought to form the ha- 
bitual companions of a man of intellect, 
His natural rank, however, may be affert- 
ed in commenting the productions of his 
inferiors ; and this rank Leffing has aflert- 
ed in his Apologies, which tor clearnefs 
and precifion of ftyle, for interefiing ame- 
nity of form, for far-fetched refearch, and 
for omniprefent fagacity, are defervedly 
valued. The artitt can teftify bis fkill, 
whether he is carving marble or ftone. 
Colleétions toward a hidory of the ZEfo- 
pian fable fupply an incomplete, but an 
erudite mafs of materials. Five differta- 
tions follow, which exhauft the theory of 
fable-writing. They treat of the effence 
of fable ; of the ufe of animals ; of the 
divifion of fables ; of the method of nar- 
ration; and of the ufe of fables. About 
ninety original fables are given: thefe 
have been tranflated into Englith by Mr. 
Richardfon, and printed at York, We 
fhall feie&t two or three. 
V. OF THE J. BOOK. 
Fupiter and the Horfe. 
«Father of gods and men, faid the 
horfe, as he approached the throne of Ju- 
piter, it is faid Iam one of the fairelt crea- 
tures that adorn the world, and vanity 
Critical Survey of the Works of Leffing. 
403 
leads me to believe it; yet might not my 
form in fome refpeéts be improved ? 
s© What doft thou think could be made 
better? Speak, I am willing to learn, 
faid the kind deity, and fmiled. 
«¢ Perhaps, continued tne hor!2, I fhould 
be fleeter if my legs were flimmer and 
longer ; a flenderer {wanny neck would 
not disfigure me ; a broader breaft would 
ftrengthen my frame ; and as thou haft 
deftined me to carry thy favourite, man, 
that faddle which the rider girds upon 
me might have been created on my back. 
‘© Patience for a moment, replied Jupi- 
ter, and with earneft countenance fpake 
the creative word. Life flowed into the 
duft ; organization fpread ; and at once 
ftood before the throne the ugly camel. 
‘© The horfe faw, trembled, and fhud- 
dered back with abhorrence. } 
<¢ Here are taller and flimmer legs, faid 
Jove ; here is a long fwanny neck ; here 
is a broader brealt ; and a natural faddle 
on the back. Wilt thou, horfe, be re- 
fafhioned thus ? 
“© The horfe ftill trembled. 
‘¢ Go, continued: Jupiier, and this once 
be taught unpunifhed. To remind thee 
at times of thy prefumption, the new crea- 
ture fhall endure—(Jove caft a preferving 
glance on the camel)—and never be be- 
held by thee without a fhudder.”” 
V. oF THEII. Book. 
The Bull and the Calf. 
A ftrong bull, as he was preffing 
through a low ftable-door, fplintered with 
his horns the upper poft. Look, matters 
faid a young calf, I never make fuch mif- 
chief. I fhould be glad, anfwered the 
matter, you were able to do it. 
‘¢ The words of the calf are like thofe 
of the priefthood : §O the mifchievous 
Bayle, how many well-difpofed minds he 
has unfettled and difturbed.”. How glad- 
ly we would be difturbed, reverend firs, if 
you could each become a Bayle.” 
V.oF THE III. Book. 
The Sheep and the Swallow, 
‘© A {wallow alighted on a fheep to 
pluck fome wool for her neft. The hheep 
Skipped about in difpleafure. Why art 
thou fo niggardly to me ? faid the {wal- 
low ; thou wilt allow the fhepherd to 
fhear thee bare, and yet grudgeit a fingle 
Jock to my wants. Whence is this? 
‘s Hence it arifes, replied the fheep, that 
thou knowelt not how to take off my wool 
in fo pleafant a manner as the fhepherd.” 
3 F 2 XO, 
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