Aesop's Fables: Sir Roger L'Estrange (1692)
160. THE WASHING OF A BLACKMORE (Perry
393)
A Man gave Money for a Black, upon an Opinion that his Swarthy Colour
was rather Sluttery than Nature; and the Fault of his last Master, in
a great Measure, that he kept him no Cleaner: He took him Home with him,
and try’d all manner of Washes to bring him to a Better Complexion; but
there was no Good to be done upon him; besides, that the very Tampering
cast him into a Disease.
THE MORAL OF THE TWO FABLES ABOVE. Natural Inclinations may be Moulded
and Wrought upon by Good Councel and Discipline; but there are certain
Specifick Properties and Impressions, that are never to be Alter’d or
Defac’d.
 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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