Perhaps we cannot apply this better than by supposing the fable to be a
parable! which may be thus explained. The Deer, viewing itself in the
water, is a beautiful young lady at her looking-glass. She cannot help
being sensible of the charms which lie blooming in every feature of her
face. She moistens her lips, languishes with her eyes, adjusts every
lock of her hair with the nicest exactness, gives an agreeable attitude
to her whole body; and then, with a soft sigh, says to herself,--'Ah!
how happy might I be, in a daily crowd of admirers, if it were not for
the censoriousness of the age! when I view that face, where Nature, to
give her her due, has been liberal enough of charms, how easy should I
be, if it were not for that slender particular, my honour. The odious
idea of that comes across all my happy moments, and brings a
mortification with it that damps my most flattering tender hopes. Oh!
that there were no such thing in the world!'--In the midst of these
soliloquies she is interrupted by the voice of her lover, who enters her
chamber singing a rigadoon air; and, introducing his discourse in a
familiar easy manner, takes occasion to launch out in praise of her
beauty; sees she is pleased with it, snatches her hand, kisses it in a
transport; and, in short, pursues his point so close, that she is not
able to disengage herself from him. But, when the consequence of all
this approaches, in an agony of grief and shame, she fetches a deep sigh
and says--'Ah! how mistaken have I been! the virtue I slighted might
have saved me; but the beauty I prized so much has been my undoing.'