Part II — Fables, With Reflections
Fable I The Cock and the Jewel
A brisk young Cock, in company with two or three pullets, his mistresses, raking upon a Dunghill for something to entertain them with, happened to scratch up a jewel. He knew what it was well enough, for it sparkled with an exceeding bright lustre; but, not knowing what to do with it, endeavoured to cover his ignorance under a gay contempt. So, shrugging up his wings, shaking his head, and putting on a grimace, he expressed himself to this purpose: Indeed you are a very fine thing; but I know not any business you have here. I make no scruple of declaring that my taste lies quite another way; and I had rather have one grain of dear, delicious barley, than all the jewels under the sun.
Morals
Several very pretty fellows, who are as great strangers to the true uses of virtue and knowledge as the Cock upon the Dunghill is to the real value of the Jewel, endeavour to palliate their ignorance by pretending that their taste lies another way.
To fools, the treasures dug from wisdom’s mine
Are Jewels thrown to Cocks, and Pearls to Swine.
Reflection
There are several people in the world that pass, with some, for well-accomplished gentlemen, and very pretty fellows, though they are as great strangers to the true uses of virtue and knowledge as the Cock upon the Dunghill is to the real value of the Jewel. He palliates his ignorance by pretending that his taste lies another way: But whatever gallant airs people may give themselves upon these occasions, without dispute, the solid advantages of virtue, and the durable pleasures of learning, are as much to be preferred before other objects of the senses as the finest brilliant diamond is above a barley-corn. The greatest blockheads would appear to understand what at the same time they affect to despise; and nobody yet was ever so vicious as to have the impudence to declare in public that virtue was not a fine thing.
But still, among the idle, sauntering, young fellows of the age, who have leisure as well to cultivate and improve the faculties of the mind as to dress and embellish the body, how many are there who spend their days in raking after new scenes of debauchery, in comparison of those few who know how to relish more reasonable entertainments! Honest, undesigning good sense is so unfashionable, that he must be a bold man who at this time of day attempts to bring it into esteem.
How disappointed is the youth who, in the midst of his amorous pursuits, endeavouring to plunder an outside of bloom and beauty, finds a treasure of impenetrable virtue concealed within! And why may it not be said, how delighted are the fair sex, when, from among a crowd of empty, frolic, conceited admirers, they find out and distinguish, with their good opinion, a man of sense, with a plain, unaffected person, which at first sight they did not like!