Aesop's Fables: Sir Roger L'Estrange (1692)
185. JUPITER AND MODESTY (Perry 109)
Man was made in such a Hurry (according to the Old Fable) that Jupiter
had forgotten to put Modesty into his Composition, among his other Affections;
and finding that there was no way of Introducing it afterwards, Man by
Man, he proposed the turning of it Loose among the Multitude: Modesty
took her self at first to be a little hardly Dealt withal, but in the
end, came over to Agree to't, upon Condition that Carnal Love might not
be suffer'd to come into the same Company; for where-ever that comes,
says she, I'm gone.
THE MORAL. Sensual Love knows neither Bars nor Bounds. We are all Naturally
Impudent; only by Custom, and Fig-leaves, we have been taught to Disguise
the Matter, and look Demurely; and that's it which we call Modesty.
 L'Estrange originally published his version of the fables in 1692. There is a
very nice illustrated edition in the Children's Classics series by Knopf: Sir
Roger L'Estrange. Aesop
- Fables which is available at amazon.com.
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