54 Differtation on the Life and Writings of

collection of ^Efopian fables, there are but 56. According to the introduction, they had been originally tranflated into Latin profe, and then into Engliih profe ; and in this MS. as well as in Mary's, there are many fables and fabliaux afcribed to ^Efop which never could have been compofed by him. Again, if we compare the fables which generally pafs for^Efop's, with thofe written by Mary, we {hall perceive that the translation of the latter could never have been regarded as a literal verfion of the former. She is a great deal more particular than ^Efop ; her moralizations are not the fame. In a word, I think me comes nearer to Phaedrus than to the Greek writer. To be convinced of this, let the fubjecl:s of the Roman fabulift and thofe of Mary be compared together, and it will be immediately perceived that the latter had always before her eyes the works of the former, and that me has even literally tranflated the fables me has imitated. It will, no doubt^ be anfwered that the works of Phaedrus have only been known fmce the^nd of the i6th century. This I admit, but am not the lefs perfuadcd that Mary was better acquainted with Phaedrus than with ^Efop. It will, moreover, be contended that flie has herfelf declared that the Englim verfion which ferved her as a model was a tranflation from the Greek. To this I reply, firft, that Phsedrus's fables may very properly be {tiled JEfopian, as he has himfelf called them : ^Efopus auctor quam materiam reperit, Hanc ego polivi verfibus fenariis[/]. and fecondly, that although Mary poilefTed the fire, the imagina- tion, and the genius of a poet, me nevertheleis had not the criti- cifm or erudition of a man of letters. For example ; fhe informs us, that 'before her fables were tranflated into Engliih, they had .ai- ry J Phaxlr. Prolog. Lib. I. ready