--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fables take off from the severity of…" description: "\"Fables take off from the severity of instruction, and enforce it at the same time that they conceal it.\" — Joseph Addison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/282/joseph-addison-377_conceal_fables-take-off-from-the-severity-of-ins_1210884.png" --- # Fables take off from the severity of instruction, and… ![“Fables take off from the severity of instruction, and enforce it at the same time that they conceal it.” quote by Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/282/joseph-addison-377_conceal_fables-take-off-from-the-severity-of-ins_1210884.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/282/joseph-addison-377_conceal_fables-take-off-from-the-severity-of-ins_1210884.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/282/joseph-addison-377_conceal_fables-take-off-from-the-severity-of-ins_1210884.png) > “Fables take off from the severity of instruction, and enforce it at the same time that they conceal it.” [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fables teach lessons through stories, hiding moral instruction within entertainment. **In simple terms:** Stories hide lessons. Key Takeaway Use narratives to convey morals subtly. Themes education storytelling morality Mood thoughtful didactic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - teaching - writing - parenting Key Concepts allegory didacticism Questions to Reflect On - What moral does the fable convey? - How can we make lessons more explicit? A Different Perspective Listeners may miss the hidden lesson. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fables/) ## Related quotes > [Our friends don't see our faults, or conceal them, or soften them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/our-friends-don-t-see-our-faults-or-conceal-them-or-soften-them/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The unjustifiable severity of a parent is loaded with this aggravation, that those whom he injures are always in his sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/the-unjustifiable-severity-of-a-parent-is-loaded-with-this/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [A man with great talents, but void of discretion, is like Polyphemus in the fable, strong and blind, endued with an irresistible force, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/a-man-with-great-talents-but-void-of-discretion-is-like-polyphemus-in/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Why have a rule if you're not going to enforce it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-ellis/why-have-a-rule-if-you-re-not-going-to-enforce-it/) [Jill Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-ellis/) > [President Ronald Reagan used to speak of the Soviet constitution, and he noted that it purported to grant wonderful rights of all sorts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-roberts/president-ronald-reagan-used-to-speak-of-the-soviet-constitution-and/) [John Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-roberts/) > [The Supreme Court has made its decision, now let them enforce it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jackson/the-supreme-court-has-made-its-decision-now-let-them-enforce-it/) [Andrew Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-jackson/) > [I've spent enough time in the business community to know there are certain regulators who are very constructive in their approach - those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gabrieli/i-ve-spent-enough-time-in-the-business-community-to-know-there-are/) [Chris Gabrieli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gabrieli/) > [“It is the leader’s job to model and enforce the values and behaviors that make up the company culture. “Model” the behaviors is key.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ramsay/it-is-the-leader-s-job-to-model-and-enforce-the-values-and-behaviors/) [Beth Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ramsay/) > [It was a privilege to serve as the assistant attorney general for civil rights, a role that allowed me to enforce the Civil Rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/it-was-a-privilege-to-serve-as-the-assistant-attorney-general-for/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [“Police not enforcing laws results in a high crime rate that is formally reported as a low crime rate in police statistics.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/police-not-enforcing-laws-results-in-a-high-crime-rate-that-is/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [The most powerful men were those who most effectively used the power of adult competence to enforce childish agreements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-s-trow/the-most-powerful-men-were-those-who-most-effectively-used-the-power/) [George W. S. Trow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-s-trow/) > [What you cannot enforce, do not command.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/what-you-cannot-enforce-do-not-command/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“enforce obedience thereto. The object, on either side, doth not justify the means; for the lives of men are too”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/enforce-obedience-thereto-the-object-on-either-side-doth-not-justify/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Whenever we have had a need for a national security or public safety issue, Congress has always followed the recommendations of the White House,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-sensenbrenner/whenever-we-have-had-a-need-for-a-national-security-or-public-safety/) [Jim Sensenbrenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-sensenbrenner/) > [“A blanket could be used to lay down the law. Lay it down over there, on top of the bed, and I’ll come over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blanket-could-be-used-to-lay-down-the-law-lay-it-down-over-there-on/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) ## More by Joseph Addison > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [There is nothing touches our imagination so much as a beautiful woman in a plain dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/there-is-nothing-touches-our-imagination-so-much-as-a-beautiful-woman/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [We are always doing something for posterity, but I would fain see posterity do something for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/we-are-always-doing-something-for-posterity-but-i-would-fain-see/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Female Virtues are of a Domestick turn. The Family is the proper Province for Private Women to Shine in. If they must be showing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/female-virtues-are-of-a-domestick-turn-the-family-is-the-proper/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [As addictions go, reading is among the cleanest, easiest to feed, happiest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/as-addictions-go-reading-is-among-the-cleanest-easiest-to-feed/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [There is no society or conversation to be kept up in the world without good-nature, or something which must bear its appearance and supply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/there-is-no-society-or-conversation-to-be-kept-up-in-the-world/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [When love once pleads admission to our hearts, In spite of all the virtue we can boast, The woman that deliberates is lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/when-love-once-pleads-admission-to-our-hearts-in-spite-of-all-the/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Many actions calculated to procure fame are not conducive to ultimate happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/many-actions-calculated-to-procure-fame-are-not-conducive-to-ultimate/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [T is liberty crowns Britannia's Isle, And makes her barren rocks and her bleak mountains smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/t-is-liberty-crowns-britannia-s-isle-and-makes-her-barren-rocks-and/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Reading is a basic tool in the living of a good life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/reading-is-a-basic-tool-in-the-living-of-a-good-life/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The moral perfections of the Deity, the more attentively, we consider, the more perfectly still shall we know them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/the-moral-perfections-of-the-deity-the-more-attentively-we-consider/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The utmost we can hope for in this world is contentment; if we aim at anything higher, we shall meet with nothing but grief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/the-utmost-we-can-hope-for-in-this-world-is-contentment-if-we-aim-at/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Courage that grows from constitution often forsakes a man when he has occasion for it; courage which arises from a sense of duty acts;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/courage-that-grows-from-constitution-often-forsakes-a-man-when-he-has/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The most skillful flattery is to let a person talk on, and be a listener.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/the-most-skillful-flattery-is-to-let-a-person-talk-on-and-be-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) [Explore all 620 Joseph Addison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) ## More Conceal quotes > [We reveal our joys and successes, we conceal our pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/we-reveal-our-joys-and-successes-we-conceal-our-pain/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [It requires as much to tell the truth as to conceal it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/it-requires-as-much-to-tell-the-truth-as-to-conceal-it/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [The more identities a man has, the more they express the person they conceal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-more-identities-a-man-has-the-more-they-express-the-person-they/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [It is always a poor way of reading the hearts of others to try to conceal our own. \[Fr., C'est toujours un mauvais moyen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/it-is-always-a-poor-way-of-reading-the-hearts-of-others-to-try-to/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Nothing more powerfully excites any affection than to conceal some part of its object, by throwing it into a kind of shade, whichat the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/nothing-more-powerfully-excites-any-affection-than-to-conceal-some/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [When you got nothing, you got nothin' to lose You're invisible now, you got no secrets to conceal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/when-you-got-nothing-you-got-nothin-to-lose-you-re-invisible-now-you/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Speech was given to the ordinary sort or men, whereby to communicate their mind; but to wise men, whereby to conceal it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-south/speech-was-given-to-the-ordinary-sort-or-men-whereby-to-communicate/) [Robert South](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-south/) > [Our friends don't see our faults, or conceal them, or soften them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/our-friends-don-t-see-our-faults-or-conceal-them-or-soften-them/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [There are some occasions in which a man must tell half his secret, in order to conceal the rest: but there is seldom one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/there-are-some-occasions-in-which-a-man-must-tell-half-his-secret-in/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [It is art to conceal art. -Ars est celare artem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/it-is-art-to-conceal-art-ars-est-celare-artem/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [The greatest part of our faults are more excusable than the methods that are commonly taken to conceal them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-greatest-part-of-our-faults-are-more-excusable-than-the-methods/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Everyone can know what is in my heart because I find it hard to conceal myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/everyone-can-know-what-is-in-my-heart-because-i-find-it-hard-to/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [The same words conceal and declare the thoughts of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-same-words-conceal-and-declare-the-thoughts-of-men/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [A woman, especially, if she have the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/a-woman-especially-if-she-have-the-misfortune-of-knowing-anything/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [Men conceal the past scenes of their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/men-conceal-the-past-scenes-of-their-lives/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) Browse all 128 Conceal quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Fables take off from the severity of instruction, and enforce it at the same time that they conceal it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph Addison" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/fables-take-off-from-the-severity-of-instruction-and-enforce-it-at/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conceal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/fables-take-off-from-the-severity-of-instruction-and-enforce-it-at/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/282/joseph-addison-377_conceal_fables-take-off-from-the-severity-of-ins_1210884.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/282/joseph-addison-377_conceal_fables-take-off-from-the-severity-of-ins_1210884.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/282/joseph-addison-377_conceal_fables-take-off-from-the-severity-of-ins_1210884.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Fables take off from the severity of instruction, and enforce it at the same time that they conceal it.” — Joseph Addison", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Joseph Addison", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Fables take off from the severity...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/fables-take-off-from-the-severity-of-instruction-and-enforce-it-at/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/fables-take-off-from-the-severity-of-instruction-and-enforce-it-at/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```