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John Gay's Fables
As a member of the Tory-affiliated Scriblerus Club Gay sought to lampoon the new methods of learning, which to him seemed overly literal and mechanical. We see an example of this in ‘The Elephant and the Bookseller’ (shown here). The bookseller, having observed the wise elephant consulting books ranging from Greek literature to natural history enquires:
Learn'd Sir, if you’d employ your pen / Against the senseless sons of men,
Or write the history of Siam, / No man is better pay than I am.
Or, since you're learn’d in Greek, let’s see / Something against the Trinity.
When wrinkling with a sneer his trunk, / Friend, quoth the Elephant, you’re drunk;
E’en keep your money, and be wise; / Leave man on man to criticise.
Author: John Gay
Title: Fables (London, 1733)
Shelfmark: A.18.69
