Aesop Dress'd; Or, A Collection of Fables Writ in Familiar Verse

Name: Aesop Dress'd; Or, A Collection of Fables Writ in Familiar Verse
Author: Bernard Mandeville

By Bernard Mandeville

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British Literature Mythology, Legends & Folklore Poetry

About This Book

This collection presents verse renderings of fables adapted from La Fontaine alongside two original pieces, set mainly in octosyllabic couplets. Each short poem recounts animal-based episodes that crystallize moral observations and social irony, with the translator often expanding or clarifying the French originals in plain, direct diction. Meter and rhyme sometimes lengthen the texts and introduce occasional Hudibrastic touches, but the tone remains largely straightforward. Arranged as numerous brief narratives, the pieces blend wit and didactic reflection to examine human foibles through anthropomorphic incidents.

About the Author

Bernard Mandeville

Bernard Mandeville was an 18th-century Dutch philosopher and satirist, best known for his work "The Fable of the Bees; Or, Private Vices, Public Benefits." In this provocative text, Mandeville argues that individual selfishness and vice can lead to societal benefits, challenging the moral assumptions of his time. His writings often blend humor with sharp social critique, exploring themes of human behavior, economics, and ethics. Mandeville's contributions to literature and philosophy have sparked discussions on the nature of morality and the role of self-interest in society, making him a significant figure in the development of modern thought.