Fables of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists/Fable CCXXIV

by Roger L'Estrange

Fab. CCXXIV.

An Ass in a Lyon’s Skin.

THere was a Freak took an Ass in the Head, to Scoure a broad upon the Ramble; and away he goes into the Woods, Masquerading up and down in a Lyon's Skin. The World was his Own for a while, and wherever he went, Man and Beast Fled before him: But he had the Hap in the Conclusion, partly by his Voice, and partly by his Ears, to be Discover'd, and consequently Uncas’d, well Laugh’d at, and well Cudgell’d for his Pains.

The Moral.

The World abounds in Terrible Fanfarons, in the Masque of Men of Honour: But These Braggadocio’s are Easy to be Detected; for no Counterfeit of any Good Quality or Vertue whatsoever, will abide the Test.

REFLEXION.

THERE’s Nothing more Frequent, or more Ridiculous in the World, then for an Ass to Dress himself up like a Lyon: A Dunce sets up for a Doctor; a Beggar for a Man of Estate; a Scoundrel for a Cavalier; a Polrcon for a Sword-man: But Every Fool still has some Mark or other to be Known by, thorough All Disguises; and the More he takes upon him, the Arranter Sot he makes Himself, when he comes to be Unmasqu'd.

Every Fool, or Fools Fellow, carries More or Less, in his Face, the Signature of his Manners, though the Character may be much more Legible in some, then in Others; As the Ass was found out by his Voice and by his Ears. Let him keep his Words betwixt his Teeth, and he may pass Muster perhaps for a Man of some Sense; but if he comes to Open once, he's Lost: For Nature never put the Tongue of a Philosopher into the Mouth of a Coxcomb: But however, let him be, in truth, what he Will he is yet so Conscious of what he Ought to be, that he makes it his Business to pass for what he is not: And in the Matter of Counterfeits, it is with Men, as it is with False Mony: One Piece is more or less Passable then Another, as it happens to have more or less Sense, or Sterling in the Mixture. One General Mark of an Impostor is This; That he Out-does the Original; As the Ass here in the Lyon-skin, made Fifty times more Clutter then the Lyon would have done in his Own; And Himself Fifty times the more Ridiculous for the Disguise.

If a Man turn his Thoughts now from This Fancy in the Forrest, to the Sober Truth of Daily Experience in the World, he shall find Asses in the Skins of Men, Infinitely more Contemptible then This Ass in the Skin of a Lyon. How many Terrible Asses have we seen in the Garb of Men of Honour! How many Insipid, and Illiterate Fops, that take upon them to Retail Politiques, and sit for the Picture of Men of State! How many udas's with Hail Master in their Mouths! How many Church-Robbers that Write themselves Reformers! In One Word, Men do Naturally love to bethought Greater, Wiser, Holier, Braver, and Juster then they Are; and in fine, Better Qualify’d in All Those Faculties that may give them Reputation among the People, then we find ‘em to be.

The Moral of This Fable Hits all sorts of Arrogant Pretenders, and runs Effectually into the Whole Bus'ness of Humane Life. We have it in the very Cabinets, and Councels of State, the Bar, the Bench, the Change, the Schools, the Pulpits; All Places, in short, are full of Quacks, Jugglers and Plagiaries, that set up for Men of Quality, Conscience, Philosophy, and Religion. So that there are Asses with Short Ears, as well as with Long, and in Robes of Silk and Dignity, as well as in Skins of Hair. In Conclusion, An Ass of the Long Robe, when he comes once to be Detected, looks Infinitely Sillier, then he would have done in his own Shape: Neither is Æsop's Ass Laugh’d at here for his Ears, or for his Voice, but for his Vanity, and Pretence; for T’other is but according to his own Kind and Nature; and Every thing is Well and Best, while it Continues to be as God made it.