To Monseigneur the Dauphin

La Fontaine declares that he will sing the heroes descended from old Aesop, whose apparently false tales contain useful truths. In these fables, every kind of creature speaks, even fishes, and their lessons are intended for human beings; the poet uses animals as a way of reaching mankind. Addressing the Dauphin as the son of a Prince favored by heaven and watched by the whole world, La Fontaine predicts that the young prince will measure conquest by his days and receive praise from even the proudest voices. He admits that a greater poet should celebrate the virtues belonging to the Dauphin’s royal line. Instead, he seeks the prince’s attention through lighter subjects: small images illuminated by nature’s enchantment. If he cannot take pride in pleasing the Dauphin, he hopes at least to be credited with having made the attempt.

By Jean de La Fontaine · First published 1668 · Genre: Poetry, Dedication, Occasional Poetry · 343 words

First lines

I sing the heroes of old Aesop's line, / Whose tale, though false when strictly we define, / Containeth truths it were not ill to teach. / With me all natures use the gift of speech; / Yea, in my work, the very fishes preach, / And to our human selves their sermons suit. / 'Tis thus, to come at man, I use the brute.

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Similar titles

• The Raven And The Fox by Jean De La Fontaine
• The Two Mules by Jean De La Fontaine
• The Crow And The Turkey by Tomas De Iriarte
• The Grasshopper And The Ant by Jean De La Fontaine
• The Gardener And His Master by Tomas De Iriarte
• The Monkey And The Magpie by Tomas De Iriarte

Genres

• Poetry — The work is a formal verse dedication, using elevated diction, rhyme, and compressed poetic expression.
• Dedication — It directly addresses the Dauphin and serves as the prefatory offering to La Fontaine's first collection of Fables.
• Occasional Poetry — The poem was composed for a specific courtly occasion and recipient, praising the young heir to the French throne.
• Panegyric — It celebrates the Dauphin's royal birth, anticipated virtues, future conquests, and public admiration.

Tags

French fable · verse dedication · seventeenth-century France · Louis XIV's reign · the Dauphin · royal patronage · Aesopic tradition · talking animals · speaking creatures · animal allegory · moral instruction · truth in fiction

What this Textopian page supports

To Monseigneur the Dauphin is listed on Textopian as a poem by Jean de La Fontaine, dated 1668 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Poem
• Author: Jean de La Fontaine
• Date: 1668 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Poetry, Dedication, Occasional Poetry, Panegyric, Court Poetry
• Length: 343 words
• Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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• Work identity for To Monseigneur the Dauphin by Jean de La Fontaine
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• Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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More by Jean de La Fontaine

• The Grasshopper and the Ant (1668)
• The Raven and the Fox (1668)
• The Frog that Wished to be as Big as the Ox (1668)
• The Two Mules (1668)
• The Wolf and the Dog (1668)
• The Heifer, the Goat, and the Sheep, in Company with the Lion (1668)
• The Wallet (1668)
• The Swallow and the Little Birds (1668)
• All works by Jean de La Fontaine