A Fable About the Mandarin's Jewels

There is considerable philosophy in the story that Goldsmith tells of a mandarin who took much pride in appearing with a number of jewels on every part of his robe, and who was once accosted by an old sly bonze, who followed him through several streets, and bowing often to the ground, thanked him for his jewels. "What does he mean?" cried the mandarin; "friend, I never gave thee any of my jewels." "No," replied the other, "but you have let me look at them, and that is all the use you can make of them yourself; so there is no difference between us, except that you have the trouble of watching them, and that is an employment I don't much desire."