Fables of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists/Fable XXXIII
Fab. XXXIII.
A Daw and Borrow'd Feathers.
A Daw that had a mind to be Sparkish, Trick'd himself up with all the Gay-Feathers he could Muster together: And upon the Credit of these Stoll'n, or Borrow'd Ornaments, he Valu'd himself above All the Birds in the Air Beside. The Pride of This Vanity got him the Envy of all his Companions, who, upon a Discovery of the Truth of the Case, fell to Pluming of him by Consent; and when Every Bird had taken his Own Feather; the Silly Daw had Nothing left him to Cover his Nakedness.
The Moral.
REFLEXION.
Every thing is Best, and Every Man Happiest, in the State and Condition wherein Nature has Plac'd them; But if Daws will be setting up for Peacocks, or Asses for Lions, they must Expect, and Content themselves to be Laugh'd at for their Pains. The Allusion of the Daw here, and his Borrow'd Feathers, Extends to All sorts of Impostors, Vain Pretenders, and Romancers, in Feats of Arms, State, Love, or the Like. It Points also at the Empty Affectation of Wit and Understanding; in which case, it fares as it does with men that set up for Quality, Birth, and Bravery, upon the Credit of a Gay Out-side; for Authors may be Cozen'd upon the Tick, as well as Taylors: Nay, we have seen some, even of our First-Rate Writers that have been Better at Disguising other Peoples Works, than Furnishing any thing of their Own; That is to say; upon the taking of them to pieces, the Stuff and Trimming is found to be Wholly Stol'n, and New-Fourbish'd; and Nothing, in short, that they can Assume to Themselves but the Needle and Thread that Tackt the Composition together. Now when these Plagiaries come to be Stript of their Borrow'd, or Pilfer'd Ornaments, there's the Daw in the Fable truly Moraliz'd.