To Madame De Montespan by Jean de La Fontaine

The apologue[1] is from the immortal gods; / Or, if the gift of man it is, / Its author merits apotheosis. / Whoever magic genius lauds / Will do what in him lies / To raise this art's inventor to the skies. / It hath the potence of a charm, / On dulness lays a conquering arm, / Subjects the mind to its control, / And works its will upon the soul. / O lady, arm'd with equal power, / If e'er within celestial bower, / With messmate gods reclined, / My muse ambrosially hath dined, / Lend me the favour of a smile / On this her playful toil. / If you support, the tooth of time will shun, / And let my work the envious years outrun. / If authors would themselves survive, / To gain your suffrage they should strive. / On you my verses wait to get their worth; / To you my beauties all will owe their birth, -- / For beauties you will recognize / Invisible to other eyes. / Ah! who can boast a taste so true, / Of beauty or of grace, / In either thought or face? / For words and looks are equal charms in you. / Upon a theme so sweet, the truth to tell, / My muse would gladly dwell: / But this employ to others I must yield; -- / A greater master claims the field. / For me, fair lady, 'twere enough / Your name should be my wall and roof. / Protect henceforth the favour'd book / Through which for second life I look. / In your auspicious light, / These lines, in envy's spite, / Will gain the glorious meed, / That all the world shall read. / 'Tis not that I deserve such fame; -- / I only ask in Fable's name, / (You know what credit that should claim; ) / And, if successfully I sue, / A fane will be to Fable due, -- / A thing I would not build -- except for you.[2][3]

[1]: _The apologue._ -- Here, as in the opening fable of Books V. and VI., and elsewhere, La Fontaine defines Fable and defends the art of the Fabulist.