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diff --git a/39187.txt b/39187.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4cda14d --- /dev/null +++ b/39187.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5795 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of AEsop's Fables, by AEsop + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: AEsop's Fables + Embellished with One Hundred and Eleven Emblematical Devices. + +Author: AEsop + +Release Date: March 18, 2012 [EBook #39187] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AESOP'S FABLES *** + + + + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Julia Neufeld and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + +Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics +(_italics_). + + + AESOP'S FABLES. + + EMBELLISHED WITH + + One Hundred and Eleven + EMBLEMATICAL DEVICES. + + [Illustration: Man reading] + + Printed at the Chiswick Press, + BY C. WHITTINGHAM; + + FOR CARPENTER AND SON, OLD BOND STREET; + J. BOOKER, NEW BOND STREET; SHARPE AND + HAILES, PICCADILLY; AND WHITTINGHAM + AND ARLISS, PATERNOSTER ROW. + + 1814. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + _Fable_ _Page_ + + 1 The Cock and the Jewel 1 + + 2 The Wolf and the Lamb 4 + + 3 The Lion and the Four Bulls 7 + + 4 The Frog and the Fox 9 + + 5 The Ass eating Thistles 11 + + 6 The Lark and her Young Ones 13 + + 7 The Cock and the Fox 16 + + 8 The Fox in the Well 19 + + 9 The Wolves and the Sheep 21 + + 10 The Eagle and the Fox 23 + + 11 The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing 26 + + 12 The Fowler and the Ring-Dove 28 + + 13 The Sow and the Wolf 30 + + 14 The Horse and the Ass 32 + + 15 The Wolf, the Lamb, and the Goat 35 + + 16 The Kite and the Pigeons 38 + + 17 The Country Mouse and the City Mouse 41 + + 18 The Swallow and other Birds 46 + + 19 The Hunted Beaver 48 + + 20 The Cat and the Fox 50 + + 21 The Cat and the Mice 52 + + 22 The Lion and other Beasts 54 + + 23 The Lion and the Mouse 56 + + 24 The Fatal Marriage 58 + + 25 The Mischievous Dog 60 + + 26 The Ox and the Frog 62 + + 27 The Fox and the Lion 65 + + 28 The Ape and the Fox 67 + + 29 The Dog in the Manger 70 + + 30 The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat 72 + + 31 The Fox and the Tiger 75 + + 32 The Lioness and the Fox 78 + + 33 The Oak and the Reed 80 + + 34 The Wind and the Sun 82 + + 35 The Kite, the Frog, and the Mouse 85 + + 36 The Frogs desiring a King 87 + + 37 The Old Woman and her Maids 90 + + 38 The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox 92 + + 39 The Crow and the Pitcher 95 + + 40 The Porcupine and the Snakes 97 + + 41 The Hares and Frogs in a Storm 100 + + 42 The Fox and the Wolf 103 + + 43 The Dog and the Sheep 106 + + 44 The Peacock and the Crane 108 + + 45 The Viper and the File 110 + + 46 The Ass, the Lion, and the Cock 112 + + 47 The Jackdaw and Peacocks 114 + + 48 The Ant and the Fly 116 + + 49 The Ant and the Grasshopper 119 + + 50 The Countryman and the Snake 121 + + 51 The Fox and the Sick Lion 124 + + 52 The Wanton Calf 127 + + 53 Hercules and the Carter 130 + + 54 The Belly and the Members 133 + + 55 The Horse and the Lion 136 + + 56 The Husbandman and the Stork 138 + + 57 The Cat and the Cock 140 + + 58 The Leopard and the Fox 142 + + 59 The Shepherd's Boy 145 + + 60 The Fox and the Goat 147 + + 61 Cupid and Death 149 + + 62 The Old Man and his Sons 151 + + 63 The Stag and the Fawn 154 + + 64 The Old Hound 157 + + 65 Jupiter and the Camel 159 + + 66 The Fox without a Tail 161 + + 67 The Fox and the Crow 163 + + 68 The Hawk and the Farmer 166 + + 69 The Nurse and the Wolf 168 + + 70 The Hare and the Tortoise 170 + + 71 The Young Man and his Cat 173 + + 72 The Ass in the Lion's Skin 175 + + 73 The Mountains in Labour 177 + + 74 The Satyr and the Traveller 179 + + 75 The Sick Kite 182 + + 76 The Hawk and the Nightingale 184 + + 77 The Peacock's Complaint 186 + + 78 The Angler and the Little Fish 188 + + 79 The Geese and the Cranes 190 + + 80 The Dog and the Shadow 192 + + 81 The Ass and the Little Dog 194 + + 82 The Wolf and the Crane 197 + + 83 The Envious Man and the Covetous 199 + + 84 The Two Pots 201 + + 85 The Fox and the Stork 203 + + 86 The Bear and the Bee-Hives 205 + + 87 The Travellers and the Bear 207 + + 88 The Trumpeter taken Prisoner 209 + + 89 The Partridge and the Cocks 211 + + 90 The Falconer and the Partridge 214 + + 91 The Eagle and the Crow 216 + + 92 The Lion, the Ass, and the Fox 218 + + 93 The Fox and the Grapes 220 + + 94 The Horse and the Stag 222 + + 95 The Young Man and the Swallow 224 + + 96 The Man and his Goose 227 + + 97 The Dog and the Wolf 229 + + 98 The Wood and the Clown 232 + + 99 The Old Lion 234 + + 100 The Horse and the Loaded Ass 236 + + 101 The Old Man and Death 238 + + 102 The Boar and the Ass 240 + + 103 The Tunny and the Dolphin 242 + + 104 The Peacock and the Magpie 244 + + 105 The Forester and the Lion 246 + + 106 The Stag looking into the Water 248 + + 107 The Stag in the Ox-Stall 251 + + 108 The Dove and the Ant 254 + + 109 The Lion in Love 256 + + 110 The Tortoise and the Eagle 259 + + + + +PREFACE, + +_BY S. CROXALL_. + + +So much has been already said concerning AEsop and his writings, both by +ancient and modern authors, that the subject seems to be quite +exhausted. The different conjectures, opinions, traditions, and +forgeries, which from time to time we have had given to us of him, would +fill a large volume: but they are, for the most part, so inconsistent +and absurd, that it would be but a dull amusement for the reader to be +led into such a maze of uncertainty: since Herodotus, the most ancient +Greek historian, did not flourish till near an hundred years after AEsop. + +As for his Life, with which we are entertained in so complete a manner, +before most of the editions of his Fables, it was invented by one +Maximus Planudes, a Greek Monk; and, if we may judge of him from that +composition, just as judicious and learned a person, as the rest of his +fraternity are at this day observed to be. Sure there never were so many +blunders and childish dreams mixed up together, as are to be met with in +the short compass of that piece. For a Monk, he might be very good and +wise, but in point of history and chronology, he shows himself to be +very ignorant. He brings AEsop to Babylon, in the reign of king Lycerus, +a king of his own making; for his name is not to be found in any +catalogue, from Nabonassar to Alexander the Great; Nabonadius, most +probably, reigning in Babylon about that time. He sends him into Egypt +in the days of Nectanebo, who was not in being till two hundred years +afterwards; with some other gross mistakes of that kind, which +sufficiently show us that this Life was a work of invention, and that +the inventor was a bungling poor creature. He never mentions AEsop's +being at Athens; though Phaedrus speaks of him as one that lived the +greatest part of his time there; and it appears that he had a statue +erected in that city to his memory, done by the hand of the famed +Lysippus. He writes of him as living at Samos, and interesting himself +in a public capacity in the administration of the affairs of that place; +yet, takes not the least notice of the Fable which Aristotle[1] tells us +he spoke in behalf of a famous Demagogue there, when he was impeached +for embezzling the public money; nor does he indeed give us the least +hint of such a circumstance. An ingenious man might have laid together +all the materials of this kind that are to be found in good old authors, +and, by the help of a bright invention, connected and worked them up +with success; we might have swallowed such an imposition well enough, +because we should not have known how to contradict it: but in Planudes' +case, the imposture is doubly discovered; first, as he has the +unquestioned authority of antiquity against him; secondly, (and if the +other did not condemn him) as he has introduced the witty, discreet, +judicious AEsop, quibbling in a strain of low monastic waggery, and as +archly dull as a Mountebank's Jester. + + [1] _Arist. Rhet._ Lib. ii. chap. 21. + +That there was a Life of AEsop, either written or traditionary, before +Aristotle's time, is pretty plain; and that there was something of that +kind extant in Augustus' reign, is, I think, as undoubted; since Phaedrus +mentions many transactions of his, during his abode at Athens. But it is +as certain, that Planudes met with nothing of this kind; or, at least, +that he met not with the accounts with which they were furnished, +because of the omissions before-mentioned; and consequently with none so +authentic and good. He seems to have thrown together some merry conceits +which occurred to him in the course of his reading, such as he thought +were worthy of AEsop, and very confidently obtrudes them upon us for his. +But, when at last he brings him to Delphos (where he was put to death by +being thrown down from a precipice) that the Delphians might have some +colour of justice for what they intended to do, he favours them with the +same stratagem which Joseph made use of to bring back his brother +Benjamin; they clandestinely convey a cup into his baggage, overtake him +upon the road, after a strict search find him guilty; upon that pretence +carry him back to the city, condemn and execute him. + +As I would neither impose upon others, nor be imposed upon, I cannot, as +some have done, let such stuff as this pass for the Life of the great +AEsop. Planudes has little authority for any thing he has delivered +concerning him; nay, as far as I can find, his whole account, from the +beginning to the end, is mere invention, excepting some few +circumstances; such as the place of his birth, and of his death; for in +respect of the time in which he lived, he has blundered egregiously, by +mentioning some incidents as contemporary with AEsop, which were far +enough from being so. Xanthus, his supposed master, puts his wife into a +passion, by bringing such a piece of deformity into her house, as our +Author is described to be. Upon this, the master reproaches the slave +for not uttering something witty, at a time that seemed to require it so +much: and then AEsop comes out, slap dash, with a satirical reflection +upon women, taken from Euripides, the famous Greek tragedian. Now +Euripides happened not to be born till about fourscore years after +AEsop's death. What credit, therefore, can be given to any thing Planudes +says of him? + +As to the place of his birth, I will allow, with the generality of those +who have written about him, that it might have been some town in Phrygia +Major: A. Gellius making mention of him, says, 'AEsopus ille, e Phrygia, +Fabulator.' That he was also by condition a slave, we may conclude from +what Phaedrus[2] relates of him. But whether at both Samos and Athens, he +does not particularly mention: though I am inclined to think it was at +the latter only; because he often speaks of him as living at that place, +and never at any other; which looks as if Phaedrus believed that he had +never lived any where else. Nor do I see how he could help being of that +opinion, if others of the ancients, whose credit is equally good, did +not carry him into other places. Aristotle introduces him (as I +mentioned before) speaking in public to the Samians, upon the occasion +of their Demagogue, or Prime Minister, being impeached for plundering +the commonwealth. + + [2] Lib. ii. fab. 9. and Lib. iii. fab. 19. + +I cannot but think AEsop was something above the degree of a slave, when +he made such a figure as an eminent speaker in the Samian State. Perhaps +he might have been in that low condition in the former part of his life; +and therefore Phaedrus, who had been of the same rank himself, might love +to enlarge upon this circumstance, since he does not choose to represent +him in any higher sphere. Unless we allow him to be speaking[3] in as +public a capacity to the Athenians, upon the occasion of Pisistratus' +seizing their liberties, as we have before supposed he did to the +Samians. But, however, granting that he was once a slave, we have great +authority that he was afterwards not only free, but in high veneration +and esteem with all that knew him; especially all that were eminent for +wisdom and virtue. Plutarch, in his Banquet of the Seven Wise Men, among +several other illustrious persons, celebrated for their wit and +knowledge, introduces AEsop. And, though in one place he seems to be +ridiculed by one of the company for being of a clumsy mongrel shape; +yet, in general, he is represented as very courtly and polite in his +behaviour. He rallies Solon, and the rest, for taking too much liberty +in prescribing rules for the conduct of sovereign princes; putting them +in mind, that those who aspire to be the friends and counsellors of +such, lose that character, and carry matters too far when they proceed +to censure and find fault with them. Upon the credit of Plutarch, +likewise, we fix the Life of AEsop in the time of Croesus, King of Lydia; +with whom he was in such esteem, as to be deputed by him to consult the +Oracle at Delphos, and be sent as his envoy to Periander, King of +Corinth; which was about three hundred and twenty years after the time +in which Homer lived, and five hundred and fifty before Christ. + + [3] _Phaed._ Lib. i. fab. 2. + +Now, though this imaginary banquet of Plutarch does not carry with it +the weight of a serious history, yet we may take it for granted, that he +introduced nothing in his fictitious scene, which might contradict +either the written or traditionary Life of AEsop; but rather chose to +make every thing agree with it. Be that as it will, this is the sum of +the account which we have to give of him. Nor, indeed, is it material +for us to know the little trifling circumstances of his Life; as whether +he lived at Samos or Athens, whether he was a slave or a freeman, +whether handsome or ugly. He has left us a legacy in his writings that +will preserve his memory dear and perpetual among us: what we have to +do, therefore, is to show ourselves worthy of so valuable a present, and +to act, in all respects, as near as we can to the will and intention of +the donor. They who are governed by reason, need no other motive than +the mere goodness of a thing to incite them to the practice of it. But +men, for the most part, are so superficial in their inquiries, that they +take all upon trust; and have no taste for any thing but what is +supported by the vogue of others, and which it is inconsistent with the +fashion of the world not to admire. + +As an inducement, therefore, to such as these to like the person and +conversation of AEsop, I must assure them that he was held in great +esteem by most of the great wits of old. There is scarce an author among +the ancient Greeks, who mixed any thing of morality in his writings, +but either quotes or mentions him. + +Whatever his person was, the beauties of his mind were very charming and +engaging; that the most celebrated among the ancients were his admirers; +that they speak of him with raptures, and pay as great a respect to him +as to any of the other wise men who lived in the same age. Nor can I +perceive, from any author of antiquity, that he was so deformed as the +Monk has represented him. If he had, he must have been so monstrous and +shocking to the eye, as not only to be a very improper envoy for a great +king, but scarce fit to be admitted as a slave in any private family. +Indeed, from what Plutarch hints of him, I suspect he had something +particular in his mien; but rather odd than ugly, and more apt to excite +mirth than disgust, in those that conversed with him. Perhaps something +humorous displayed itself in his countenance as well as his writings; +and it might be upon account of both, that he got the name of +Gelotopoios, as Lucian calls him, and his works that of Geloia. However, +we will go a middle way; and without insisting upon his beauty, or giving +into his deformity, allow him to have made a merry comical figure; at least +as handsome as Socrates; but at the same time conclude, that this +particularity in the frame of his body was so far from being of any +disadvantage to him, that it gave a mirthful cast to every thing he said, +and added a kind of poignancy to his conversation. + +We have seen what opinion the ancients had of our Author, and his +writings. Now, as to the manner of conveying instruction by Fables in +general, though many good vouchers of antiquity sufficiently recommend +it, yet to avoid tiring the reader's patience, I shall wave all +quotations from thence, and lay before him the testimony of a modern; +whose authority, in point of judgment, and consequently, in the present +case, may be as readily acknowledged as that of any ancient of them all. +"Fables[4]," says Mr. Addison, "were the first pieces of wit that made +their appearance in the world; and have been still highly valued, not +only in times of the greatest simplicity, but among the most polite ages +of mankind. Jotham's Fable of the Trees is the oldest that is extant, +and as beautiful as any which have been made since that time. Nathan's +Fable of the poor Man and his Lamb, is likewise more ancient than any +that is extant, besides the above-mentioned, and had so good an effect, +as to convey instruction to the ear of a king, without offending it, +and to bring the man after God's own heart to a right sense of his +guilt, and his duty. We find AEsop in the most distant ages of Greece. +And, if we look into the very beginning of the commonwealth of Rome, we +see a mutiny among the common people appeased by the Fable of the Belly +and the Members[5]; which was indeed very proper to gain the attention +of an incensed rabble, at a time, when, perhaps, they would have torn to +pieces any man who had preached the same doctrine to them, in an open +and direct manner. As Fables took their birth in the very infancy of +learning, they never flourished more than when learning was at its +greatest height. To justify this assertion, I shall put my reader in +mind of Horace, the greatest wit and critic in the Augustan age; and of +Boileau, the most correct poet among the moderns; not to mention La +Fontaine, who, by this way of writing, is come more into vogue than any +other author of our times." After this, he proceeds to give some account +of that kind of Fable in which the passions, and other imaginary beings, +are actors; and concludes with a most beautiful one of that sort, of his +own contriving. In another place, he gives us a translation from Homer +of that inimitable Fable comprised in the interview between Jupiter and +Juno, when the latter made use of the girdle of Venus, to recall the +affection of her husband; a piece never sufficiently to be recommended +to the perusal of such of the fair sex, as are ambitious of acquitting +themselves handsomely in point of conjugal complacence. But I must not +omit the excellent Preface, by which the Fable is introduced, "Reading +is to the mind[6]," says he, "what exercise is to the body: as by the +one, health is preserved, strengthened, and invigorated; by the other +virtue (which is the health of the mind) is kept alive, cherished, and +confirmed. But, as exercise becomes tedious and painful when we make use +of it only as the means of health, so reading is too apt to grow uneasy +and burdensome, when we apply ourselves to it only for our improvement +in virtue. For this reason, the virtue which we gather from a Fable or +an allegory, is like the health we get by hunting, as we are engaged in +an agreeable pursuit that draws us on with pleasure, and makes its +insensible of the fatigues that accompany it." + + [4] Spect. No. 183. + + [5] Fab. liv. + + [6] Tatler, No. 147. + + + + +AESOP'S FABLES. + + + + +FABLE I. + +[Illustration: THE COCK AND THE JEWEL.] + + +A brisk young Cock, in company with two or three pullets, his +mistresses, raking upon a dunghill for something to entertain them with, +happened to scratch up a Jewel. He knew what it was well enough, for it +sparkled with an exceeding bright lustre; but, not knowing what to do +with it, endeavoured to cover his ignorance under a gay contempt; so, +shrugging up his wings, shaking his head, and putting on a grimace, he +expressed himself to this purpose:--'Indeed, you are a very fine thing; +but I know not any business you have here. I make no scruple of +declaring that my taste lies quite another way; and I had rather have +one grain of dear delicious barley, than all the Jewels under the sun.' + + +APPLICATION. + +There are several people in the world that pass, with some, for well +accomplished gentlemen, and very pretty fellows, though they are as +great strangers to the true uses of virtue and knowledge as the Cock +upon the dunghill is to the real value of the Jewel. He palliates his +ignorance by pretending that his taste lies another way. But, whatever +gallant airs people may give themselves upon these occasions, without +dispute, the solid advantages of virtue, and the durable pleasures of +learning, are as much to be preferred before other objects of the +senses, as the finest brilliant diamond is above a barley-corn. The +greatest blockheads would appear to understand what at the same time +they affect to despise: and nobody yet was ever so vicious, as to have +the impudence to declare, in public, that virtue was not a fine thing. + +But still, among the idle, sauntering young fellows of the age, who have +leisure as well to cultivate and improve the faculties of the mind, as +to dress and embellish the body, how many are there who spend their days +in raking after new scenes of debauchery, in comparison of those few who +know how to relish more reasonable entertainments! Honest, undesigning +good sense is so unfashionable, that he must be a bold man who, at this +time of day, attempts to bring it into esteem. + +How disappointed is the youth who, in the midst of his amorous pursuits, +endeavouring to plunder an outside of bloom and beauty, finds a treasure +of impenetrable virtue concealed within! And why may it not be said, how +delighted are the fair sex when, from among a crowd of empty, frolic, +conceited admirers, they find out, and distinguish with their good +opinion, a man of sense, with a plain, unaffected person, which, at +first sight, they did not like! + + + + +FABLE II. + +[Illustration: THE WOLF AND THE LAMB.] + + +One hot, sultry day, a Wolf and a Lamb happened to come, just at the +same time, to quench their thirst in the stream of a clear, silver brook +that ran tumbling down the side of a rocky mountain. The Wolf stood upon +the higher ground, and the Lamb at some distance from him down the +current. However, the Wolf, having a mind to pick a quarrel with him, +asked him, what he meant by disturbing the water, and making it so muddy +that he could not drink? and, at the same time demanded satisfaction. +The Lamb, frightened at this threatening charge, told him, in a tone as +mild as possible, that, with humble submission, he could not conceive +how that could be; since the water which he drank, ran down from the +Wolf to him, and therefore it could not be disturbed so far up the +stream. 'Be that as it will,' replies the Wolf, 'you are a rascal, and I +have been told that you treated me with ill language, behind my back, +about half a year ago.'--'Upon my word,' says the Lamb, 'the time you +mention was before I was born.' The Wolf, finding it to no purpose to +argue any longer against truth, fell into a great passion, snarling and +foaming at the mouth, as if he had been mad; and drawing nearer to the +Lamb, 'Sirrah,' says he, 'if it was not you, it was your father, and +that is all one.'--So he seized the poor innocent, helpless thing, tore +it to pieces, and made a meal of it. + + +APPLICATION. + +The thing which is pointed at in this fable is so obvious, that it will +be impertinent to multiply words about it. When a cruel ill-natured man +has a mind to abuse one inferior to himself, either in power or courage, +though he has not given the least occasion for it, how does he resemble +the Wolf! whose envious, rapacious temper could not bear to see +innocence live quietly in its neighbourhood. In short, wherever ill +people are in power, innocence and integrity are sure to be persecuted: +the more vicious the community is, the better countenance they have for +their own villanous measures. To practise honesty in bad times, is being +liable to suspicion enough; but if any one should dare to prescribe it, +it is ten to one but he would be impeached of high crimes and +misdemeanors: for to stand up for justice in a degenerate and corrupt +state, is tacitly to upbraid the government, and seldom fails of pulling +down vengeance upon the head of him that offers to stir in its defence. +Where cruelty and malice are in combination with power, nothing is so +easy as for them to find a pretence to tyrannize over innocence, and +exercise all manner of injustice. + + + + +FABLE III. + +[Illustration: THE LION AND THE FOUR BULLS.] + + +Four Bulls, which had entered into a very strict friendship, kept always +near one another, and fed together. The Lion often saw them, and as +often had a mind to make one of them his prey; but, though he could +easily have subdued any of them singly, yet he was afraid to attack the +whole alliance, as knowing they would have been too hard for him, and +therefore contented himself, for the present, with keeping at a +distance. At last, perceiving no attempt was to be made upon them, as +long as this combination held, he took occasion, by whispers and hints, +to foment jealousies, and raise divisions among them. This stratagem +succeeded so well, that the Bulls grew cold and reserved towards one +another, which soon after ripened into a downright hatred and +aversion; and, at last, ended in a total separation. The Lion had now +obtained his ends; and, as impossible as it was for him to hurt them +while they were united, he found no difficulty, now they were parted, to +seize and devour every Bull of them, one after another. + + +APPLICATION. + +The moral of this fable is so well known and allowed, that to go about +to enlighten it, would be like holding a candle to the sun. "A kingdom +divided against itself cannot stand;" and as undisputed a maxim as it +is, was, however, thought necessary to be urged to the attention of +mankind, by the best Man that ever lived. And since friendships and +alliances are of so great importance to our well-being and happiness, we +cannot be too often cautioned not to let them be broken by tale-bearers +and whisperers, or any other contrivance of our enemies. + + + + +FABLE IV. + +[Illustration: THE FROG AND THE FOX.] + + +A Frog, leaping out of a lake, and taking the advantage of a rising +ground, made proclamation to all the beasts of the forest, that he was +an able physician, and, for curing all manner of distempers, would turn +his back to no person living. This discourse, uttered in a parcel of +hard, cramp words, which nobody understood, made the beasts admire his +learning, and give credit to every thing he said. At last the Fox, who +was present, with indignation asked him, how he could have the +impudence, with those thin lantern-jaws, that meagre pale phiz, and +blotched spotted body, to set up for one who was able to cure the +infirmities of others. + + +APPLICATION. + +A sickly, infirm look, is as disadvantageous in a physician, as that of +a rake in a clergyman, or a sheepish one in a soldier. If this moral +contains any thing further, it is, that we should not set up for +rectifying enormities in others, while we labour under the same +ourselves. Good advice ought always to be followed, without our being +prejudiced upon account of the person from whom it comes: but it is +seldom that men can be brought to think us worth minding, when we +prescribe cures for maladies with which ourselves are infected. +"Physician, heal thyself," is too scriptural not to be applied upon such +an occasion; and, if we would avoid being the jest of an audience, we +must be sound, and free from those diseases of which we would endeavour +to cure others. How shocked must people have been to hear a preacher, +for a whole hour, declaim against drunkenness, when his own infirmity +has been such, that he could neither bear nor forbear drinking; and, +perhaps, was the only person in the congregation who made the doctrine +at that time necessary! Others too have been very zealous in exploding +crimes, for which none were more suspected than themselves: but let such +silly hypocrites remember, that they whose eyes want couching, are the +most improper people in the world to set up for oculists. + + + + +FABLE V. + +[Illustration: THE ASS EATING THISTLES.] + + +An Ass was loaded with good provisions of several sorts, which, in time +of harvest, he was carrying into the field for his master and the +reapers to dine upon. By the way he met with a fine large Thistle, and, +being very hungry, began to mumble it; which, while he was doing, he +entered into this reflection--'How many greedy epicures would think +themselves happy, amidst such a variety of delicate viands as I now +carry! But to me, this bitter prickly Thistle is more savoury and +relishing than the most exquisite and sumptuous banquet.' + + +APPLICATION. + +Happiness and misery, and oftentimes pleasure and pain, exist merely in +our opinion, and are no more to be accounted for than the difference of +tastes. "That which is one man's meat, is another man's poison," is a +proposition that ought to be allowed in all particulars, where the +opinion is concerned, as well as in eating and drinking. Our senses must +inform us whether a thing pleases or displeases, before we can declare +our judgment of it; and that is to any man good or evil, which his own +understanding suggests to him to be so, and not that which is agreeable +to another's fancy. And yet, as reasonable and as necessary as it is to +grant this, how apt are we to wonder at people for not liking this or +that, or how can they think so and so! This childish humour of wondering +at the different tastes and opinions of others, occasions much +uneasiness among the generality of mankind. But, if we considered things +rightly, why should we be more concerned at others differing from us in +their way of thinking upon any subject whatever, than at their liking +cheese, or mustard; one, or both of which, we may happen to dislike? In +truth, he that expects all mankind should be of his opinion, is much +more stupid and unreasonable than the Ass in the fable. + + + + +FABLE VI. + +[Illustration: THE LARK AND HER YOUNG ONES.] + + +A Lark, who had Young Ones in a field of corn which was almost ripe, was +under some fear lest the reapers should come to reap it before her young +brood were fledged, and able to remove from the place: wherefore, upon +flying abroad to look for food, she left this charge with them--that +they should take notice what they heard talked of in her absence, and +tell her of it when she came back again. When she was gone, they heard +the owner of the corn call to his son--'Well,' says he, 'I think this +corn is ripe enough; I would have you go early to-morrow, and desire our +friends and neighbours to come and help us to reap it.' When the Old +Lark came home, the Young Ones fell a quivering and chirping round her, +and told her what had happened, begging her to remove them as fast as +she could. The mother bid them be easy; 'for,' says she, 'if the owner +depends upon friends and neighbours, I am pretty sure the corn will not +be reaped to-morrow.' Next day she went out again, upon the same +occasion, and left the same orders with them as before. The owner came, +and stayed, expecting those he had sent to: but the sun grew hot, and +nothing was done, for not a soul came to help him. 'Then,' says he to +his son, 'I perceive these friends of ours are not to be depended upon; +so that you must even go to your uncles and cousins, and tell them, I +desire they would be here betimes to-morrow morning to help us to reap.' +Well, this the Young Ones, in a great fright, reported also to their +mother. 'If that be all,' says she, 'do not be frightened, children, for +kindred and relations do not use to be so very forward to serve one +another; but take particular notice what you hear said the next time, +and be sure you let me know it.' She went abroad the next day, as usual; +and the owner, finding his relations as slack as the rest of his +neighbours, said to his son, 'Hark ye! George, do you get a couple of +good sickles ready against to-morrow morning, and we will even reap the +corn ourselves.' When the Young Ones told their mother this, 'Then,' +says she, 'we must be gone indeed; for, when a man undertakes to do his +business himself, it is not so likely that he will be disappointed.' So +she removed her Young Ones immediately, and the corn was reaped the next +day by the good man and his son. + + +APPLICATION. + +Never depend upon the assistance of friends and relations in any thing +which you are able to do yourself; for nothing is more fickle and +uncertain. The man, who relies upon another for the execution of any +affair of importance, is not only kept in a wretched and slavish +suspense while he expects the issue of the matter, but generally meets +with a disappointment. While he, who lays the chief stress of his +business upon himself, and depends upon his own industry and attention +for the success of his affairs, is in the fairest way to attain his end: +and, if at last he should miscarry, has this to comfort him--that it was +not through his own negligence, and a vain expectation of the assistance +of friends. To stand by ourselves, as much as possible, to exert our own +strength and vigilance in the prosecution of our affairs, is god-like, +being the result of a most noble and highly exalted reason; but they who +procrastinate and defer the business of life by an idle dependance upon +others, in things which it is in their own power to effect, sink down +into a kind of stupid abject slavery, and show themselves unworthy of +the talents with which human nature is dignified. + + + + +FABLE VII. + +[Illustration: THE COCK AND THE FOX.] + + +The Fox, passing early one summer's morning near a farm-yard, was caught +in a springe, which the farmer had planted there for that end. The Cock, +at a distance, saw what happened; and, hardly yet daring to trust +himself too near so dangerous a foe, approached him cautiously, and +peeped at him, not without some horror and dread of mind. Reynard no +sooner perceived it, but he addressed himself to him, with all the +designing artifice imaginable. 'Dear cousin,' says he, 'you see what an +unfortunate accident has befallen me here, and all upon your account: +for, as I was creeping through yonder hedge, in my way homeward, I heard +you crow, and was resolved to ask you how you did before I went any +further: but, by the way, I met with this disaster; and therefore now I +must become an humble suitor to you for a knife to cut this plaguy +string; or, at least, that you would conceal my misfortune, till I have +gnawed it asunder with my teeth.' The Cock, seeing how the case stood, +made no reply, but posted away as fast as he could, and gave the farmer +an account of the whole matter; who, taking a good weapon along with +him, came and did the Fox's business, before he could have time to +contrive his escape. + + +APPLICATION. + +Though there is no quality of the mind more graceful in itself, or that +renders it more amiable to others, than the having a tender regard to +those who are in distress; yet we may err, even in this point, unless we +take care to let our compassion flow out upon proper objects only. When +the innocent fall into misfortune, it is the part of a generous brave +spirit to contribute to their redemption; or, if that be impossible, to +administer something to their comfort and support. But, when wicked men, +who have been enemies to their fellow-subjects, are entrapped in their +own pernicious schemes, he that labours to deliver them, makes himself +an associate in their crimes, and becomes as great an enemy to the +public as those whom he would screen and protect. + +When highwaymen and housebreakers are taken, condemned, and going to +satisfy justice, at the expense of their vile paltry lives; who are +they that grieve for them, and would be glad to rescue them from the +rope? Not honest men, we may be sure. The rest of the thieving +fraternity would, perhaps, commiserate their condition, and be ready to +mutiny in their favour: nay, the rascally solicitor, who had been +employed upon their account, would be vexed that his negociations had +succeeded no better, and be afraid of losing his reputation, among other +delinquents, for the future: but every friend to justice would have no +reason to be dissatisfied at any thing but a mournful reflection, which +he could not forbear making, that, while these little criminals swing +for some trifling inconsiderable rapine, others, so transcendently their +superiors in fraud and plunder, escape with a whole skin. + + + + +FABLE VIII. + +[Illustration: THE FOX IN THE WELL.] + + +A Fox having fallen into a Well, made a shift, by sticking his claws +into the sides, to keep his head above water. Soon after, a Wolf came +and peeped over the brink; to whom the Fox applied himself very +earnestly for assistance: entreating, that he would help him to a rope, +or something of that kind, which might favour his escape. The Wolf, +moved with compassion at his misfortune, could not forbear expressing +his concern: 'Ah! poor Reynard,' says he, 'I am sorry for you with all +my heart; how could you possibly come into this melancholy +condition?'--'Nay, prithee, friend,' replies the Fox, 'if you wish me +well, do not stand pitying of me, but lend me some succour as fast as +you can: for pity is but cold comfort when one is up to the chin in +water, and within a hair's breadth of starving or drowning.' + + +APPLICATION. + +Pity, indeed, is of itself but poor comfort at any time; and, unless it +produces something more substantial, is rather impertinently +troublesome, than any way agreeable. To stand bemoaning the misfortunes +of our friends, without offering some expedient to alleviate them, is +only echoing to their grief, and putting them in mind that they are +miserable. He is truly my friend who, with a ready presence of mind, +supports me; not he who condoles with me upon my ill success, and says +he is sorry for my loss. In short, a favour or obligation is doubled by +being well-timed; and he is the best benefactor, who knows our +necessities, and complies with our wishes, even before we ask him. + + + + +FABLE IX. + +[Illustration: THE WOLVES AND THE SHEEP.] + + +The Wolves and the Sheep had been a long time in a state of war +together. At last a cessation of arms was proposed, in order to a treaty +of peace, and hostages were to be delivered on both sides for security. +The Wolves proposed that the Sheep should give up their dogs, on the one +side, and that they would deliver up their young ones, on the other. +This proposal was agreed to; but no sooner executed, than the young +Wolves began to howl for want of their dams. The old ones took this +opportunity to cry out, the treaty was broke; and so falling upon the +Sheep, who were destitute of their faithful guardians the dogs, they +worried and devoured them without control. + + +APPLICATION. + +In all our transactions with mankind, even in the most private and low +life, we should have a special regard how, and with whom, we trust +ourselves. Men, in this respect, ought to look upon each other as +Wolves, and to keep themselves under a secure guard, and in a continual +posture of defence. Particularly upon any treaties of importance, the +securities on both sides should be strictly considered; and each should +act with so cautious a view to their own interest, as never to pledge or +part with that which is the very essence and basis of their safety and +well-being. And if this be a just and reasonable rule for men to govern +themselves by, in their own private affairs, how much more fitting and +necessary is it in any conjuncture wherein the public is concerned? If +the enemy should demand our whole army for an hostage, the danger in our +complying with it would be so gross and apparent, that we could not help +observing it: but, perhaps, a country may equally expose itself by +parting with a particular town or general, as its whole army; its +safety, not seldom, depending as much upon one of the former, as upon +the latter. In short, hostages and securities may be something very dear +to us, but ought never to be given up, if our welfare and preservation +have any dependance upon them. + + + + +FABLE X. + +[Illustration: THE EAGLE AND THE FOX.] + + +An Eagle that had young ones, looking out for something to feed them +with, happened to spy a Fox's cub, that lay basking itself abroad in the +sun. She made a stoop, and trussed it immediately; but before she had +carried it quite off, the old Fox coming home, implored her, with tears +in her eyes, to spare her cub, and pity the distress of a poor fond +mother, who should think no affliction so great as that of losing her +child. The Eagle, whose nest was up in a very high tree, thought herself +secure enough from all projects of revenge, and so bore away the cub to +her young ones, without showing any regard to the supplications of the +Fox. But that subtle creature, highly incensed at this outrageous +barbarity, ran to an altar, where some country people had been +sacrificing a kid in the open fields, and catching up a firebrand in her +mouth, made towards the tree where the Eagle's nest was, with a +resolution of revenge. She had scarce ascended the first branches, when +the Eagle, terrified with the approaching ruin of herself and family, +begged of the Fox to desist, and, with much submission, returned her the +cub again safe and sound. + + +APPLICATION. + +This fable is a warning to us not to deal hardly or injuriously by any +body. The consideration of our being in a high condition of life, and +those we hurt, far below us, will plead little or no excuse for us in +this case: for there is scarce a creature of so despicable a rank, but +is capable of avenging itself some way, and at some time or other. When +great men happen to be wicked, how little scruple do they make of +oppressing their poor neighbours! They are perched upon a lofty station, +and have built their nest on high; and, having outgrown all feelings of +humanity, are insensible of any pangs of remorse. The widow's tears, the +orphan's cries, and the curses of the miserable, like javelins thrown by +the hand of a feeble old man, fall by the way, and never reach their +heart. But let such a one, in the midst of his flagrant injustice, +remember, how easy a matter it is, notwithstanding his superior +distance, for the meanest vassal to be revenged of him. The bitterness +of an affliction, even where cunning is wanting, may animate the +poorest spirit with resolutions of vengeance; and, when once that fury +is thoroughly awakened, we know not what she will require before she is +lulled to rest again. The most powerful tyrants cannot prevent a +resolved assassination; there are a thousand different ways for any +private man to do the business, who is heartily disposed to it, and +willing to satisfy his appetite for revenge, at the expense of his life. +An old woman may clap a firebrand in the palace of a prince; and it is +in the power of a poor weak fool to destroy the children of the mighty. + + + + +FABLE XI. + +[Illustration: THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.] + + +A Wolf, clothing himself in the skin of a Sheep, and getting in among +the flock, by this means took the opportunity to devour many of them. At +last the shepherd discovered him, and cunningly fastening a rope about +his neck, tied him up to a tree which stood hard by. Some other +shepherds happening to pass that way, and observing what he was about, +drew near, and expressed their amazement at it. 'What,' says one of +them, 'brother, do you make hanging of Sheep?'--'No,' replies the other; +'but I make hanging of a Wolf whenever I catch him, though in the habit +and garb of a Sheep.' Then he showed them their mistake, and they +applauded the justice of the execution. + + +APPLICATION. + +This fable shows us, that no regard is to be had to the mere habit or +outside of any person, but to undisguised worth and intrinsic virtue. +When we place our esteem upon the external garb, before we inform +ourselves of the qualities which it covers, we may often mistake evil +for good, and, instead of a Sheep, take a Wolf into our protection. +Therefore, however innocent or sanctified any one may appear, as to the +vesture wherewith he is clothed, we may act rashly, because we may be +imposed upon, if from thence we take it for granted, that he is inwardly +as good and righteous as his outward robe would persuade us he is. Men +of judgment and penetration do not use to give an implicit credit to a +particular habit, or a peculiar colour, but love to make a more exact +scrutiny; for he that will not come up to the character of an honest, +good kind of man, when stripped of his Sheep's Clothing, is but the more +detestable for his intended imposture; as the Wolf was but the more +obnoxious to the shepherd's resentment, by wearing a habit so little +suiting with his manners. + + + + +FABLE XII. + +[Illustration: THE FOWLER AND THE RING-DOVE.] + + +A fowler took his gun, and went into the woods a-shooting. He spied a +Ring-Dove among the branches of an oak, and intended to kill it. He +clapped the piece to his shoulder, and took his aim accordingly. But, +just as he was going to pull the trigger, an adder, which he had trod +upon under the grass, stung him so painfully in the leg, that he was +forced to quit his design, and threw his gun down in a passion. The +poison immediately infected his blood, and his whole body began to +mortify; which, when he perceived, he could not help owning it to be +just. 'Fate,' says he, 'has brought destruction upon me, while I was +contriving the death of another.' + + +APPLICATION. + +This is another lesson against injustice; a topic in which our just +Author abounds. And, if we consider the matter fairly, we must allow it +to be as reasonable that some one should do violence to us, as we should +commit it upon another. When we are impartial in our reflections, thus +we must always think. The unjust man, with a hardened unfeeling heart, +can do a thousand bitter things to others: but if a single calamity +touches himself, oh, how tender he is! How insupportable is the +uneasiness it occasions! Why should we think others born to hard +treatment more than ourselves? Or imagine it can be reasonable to do to +another, what we ourselves should be unwilling to suffer? In our +behaviour to all mankind, we need only ask ourselves these plain +questions, and our consciences will tell us how to act. Conscience, like +a good valuable domestic, plays the remembrancer to us upon all +occasions, and gives us a gentle twitch, when we are going to do a wrong +thing. It does not, like the adder in the fable, bite us to death, but +only gives us kind cautions. However, if we neglect these just and +frequent warnings, and continue in a course of wickedness and injustice, +do not let us be surprised if Providence thinks fit, at last, to give us +a home sting, and to exercise a little retaliation upon us. + + + + +FABLE XIII. + +[Illustration: THE SOW AND THE WOLF.] + + +A Sow had just farrowed, and lay in the stye, with her whole litter of +pigs about her. A Wolf who longed for one of them, but knew not how to +come at it, endeavoured to insinuate himself into the Sow's good +opinion: and, accordingly, coming up to her--'How does the good woman in +the straw do?' says he. 'Can I be of any service to you, Mrs. Sow, in +relation to your little family here? If you have a mind to go abroad, +and air yourself a little, or so, you may depend upon it, I will take as +much care of your pigs as you could yourself.'--'Your humble servant,' +says the Sow, 'I thoroughly understand your meaning; and, to let you +know I do, I must be so free as to tell you, I had rather have your +room than your company; and, therefore, if you would act like a Wolf of +honour, and oblige me, I beg I may never see your face again.' + + +APPLICATION. + +The being officiously good-natured and civil is something so uncommon in +the world, that one cannot hear a man make profession of it without +being surprised, or, at least, suspecting the disinterestedness of his +intentions. Especially, when one who is a stranger to us, or though +known, is ill-esteemed by us, will be making offers of services, we have +great reason to look to ourselves, and exert a shyness and coldness +towards him. We should resolve not to receive even favours from bad kind +of people; for should it happen that some immediate mischief was not +couched in them, yet it is dangerous to have obligations to such, or to +give them an opportunity of making a communication with us. + + + + +FABLE XIV. + +[Illustration: THE HORSE AND THE ASS.] + + +The Horse, adorned with his great war-saddle, and champing his foaming +bridle, came thundering along the way, and made the mountains echo with +his loud shrill neighing. He had not gone far, before he overtook an +Ass, who was labouring under a heavy burden, and moving slowly on in the +same track with himself. Immediately he called out to him, in a haughty +imperious tone, and threatened to trample him in the dirt, if he did not +break the way for him. The poor patient Ass, not daring to dispute the +matter, quietly got out of his way as fast as he could, and let him go +by. Not long after this, the same Horse, in an engagement with the +enemy, happened to be shot in the eye, which made him unfit for show, +or any military business; so he was stripped of his fine ornaments, and +sold to a carrier. The Ass, meeting him in this forlorn condition, +thought that now it was his time to insult; and so, says he, 'Hey-day, +friend, is it you? Well, I always believed that pride of yours would one +day have a fall.' + + +APPLICATION. + +Pride is a very unaccountable vice: many people fall into it unawares, +and are often led into it by motives, which, if they considered things +rightly, would make them abhor the very thoughts of it. There is no man +that thinks well of himself, but desires that the rest of the world +should think so too. Now it is the wrong measures we take in +endeavouring after this, that expose us to discerning people in that +light which they call pride, and which is so far from giving us any +advantage in their esteem, that it renders us despicable and ridiculous. +It is an affectation of appearing considerable, that puts men upon being +proud and insolent; and their very being so makes them, infallibly, +little, and inconsiderable. The man that claims and calls for reverence +and respect, deserves none; he that asks for applause, is sure to lose +it; the certain way to get it is to seem to shun it; and the humble man, +according to the maxims even of this world, is the most likely to be +exalted. He that, in his words or actions, pleads for superiority, and +rather chooses to do an ill action, than condescend to do a good one, +acts like the Horse, and is as void of reason and understanding. The +rich and the powerful want nothing but the love and esteem of mankind to +complete their felicity; and these they are sure to obtain by a +good-humoured, kind condescension; and as certain of being every body's +aversion, while the least tincture of overbearing rudeness is +perceptible in their words or actions. What brutal tempers must they be +of, who can be easy and indifferent, while they know themselves to be +universally hated, though in the midst of affluence and power! But this +is not all; for if ever the wheel of fortune should whirl them from the +top to the bottom, instead of friendship or commiseration, they will +meet with nothing but contempt; and that with much more justice than +ever they themselves exerted it towards others. + + + + +FABLE XV. + +[Illustration: THE WOLF, THE LAMB, AND THE GOAT.] + + +A Wolf meeting a Lamb, one day, in company with a Goat--'Child,' says +he, 'you are mistaken; this is none of your mother; she is yonder;' +pointing to a flock of sheep at a distance.--'It may be so,' says the +Lamb; 'the person that happened to conceive me, and afterwards bore me a +few months in her belly, because she could not help it, and then dropped +me, she did not care where, and left me to the wide world, is, I +suppose, what you call my mother; but I look upon this charitable Goat +as such, that took compassion on me in my poor, helpless, destitute +condition, and gave me suck; sparing it out of the mouths of her own +kids, rather than I should want it.'--'But sure,' says he, 'you have a +greater regard for her that gave you life, than for any body +else.'--'She gave me life! I deny that. She that could not so much as +tell whether I should be black or white, had a great hand in giving me +life, to be sure! But, supposing it were so, I am mightily obliged to +her, truly, for contriving to let me be of the male-kind, so that I go +every day in danger of the butcher. What reason then have I to have a +greater regard for one to whom I am so little indebted for any part of +my being, than for those from whom I have received all the benevolence +and kindness which have hitherto supported me in life?' + + +APPLICATION. + +It is they whose goodness makes them our parents, that properly claim +filial respect from us, and not those who are such only out of +necessity. The duties between parents and their children are relative +and reciprocal. By all laws, natural as well as civil, it is expected +that the parents should cherish and provide for the child, till it is +able to shift for itself; and that the child, with a mutual tenderness, +should depend upon the parent for its sustenance, and yield it a +reasonable obedience. Yet, through the depravity of human nature, we +very often see these laws violated, and the relations before-mentioned +treating one another with as much virulence as enemies of different +countries are capable of. Through the natural impatience and protervity +of youth, we observe the first occasion for any animosity most +frequently arising from their side; but, however, there are not wanting +examples of undutiful parents: and, when a father, by using a son ill, +and denying him such an education and such an allowance as his +circumstances can well afford, gives him occasion to withdraw his +respect from him, to urge his begetting of him as the sole obligation to +duty, is talking like a silly unthinking dotard. Mutual benevolence must +be kept up between relations, as well as friends; for, without this +cement, whatever you please to call the building, it is only a castle in +the air, a thing to be talked of, without the least reality. + + + + +FABLE XVI. + +[Illustration: THE KITE AND THE PIGEONS.] + + +A Kite, who had kept sailing in the air for many days near a dove-house, +and made a stoop at several pigeons, but all to no purpose (for they +were too nimble for him), at last had recourse to stratagem, and took +his opportunity one day to make a declaration to them, in which he set +forth his own just and good intentions, who had nothing more at heart +than the defence and protection of the Pigeons in their ancient rights +and liberties, and how concerned he was at their fears and jealousies of +a foreign invasion, especially their unjust and unreasonable suspicions +of himself, as if he intended, by force of arms, to break in upon their +constitution, and erect a tyrannical government over them. To prevent +all which, and thoroughly to quiet their minds, he thought proper to +propose to them such terms of alliance and articles of peace as might +for ever cement a good understanding between them: the principal of +which was, that they should accept of him for their king, and invest him +with all kingly privilege and prerogative over them. The poor simple +Pigeons consented: the Kite took the coronation oath, after a very +solemn manner, on his part, and the Doves, the oaths of allegiance and +fidelity, on theirs. But much time had not passed over their heads, +before the good Kite pretended that it was part of his prerogative to +devour a Pigeon whenever he pleased. And this he was not contented to do +himself only, but instructed the rest of the royal family in the same +kingly arts of government. The Pigeons, reduced to this miserable +condition, said one to the other, 'Ah! we deserve no better! Why did we +let him come in! + + +APPLICATION. + +What can this fable be applied to but the exceeding blindness and +stupidity of that part of mankind who wantonly and foolishly trust their +native rights of liberty without good security? Who often choose for +guardians of their lives and fortunes, persons abandoned to the most +unsociable vices; and seldom have any better excuse for such an error in +politics than, that they were deceived in their expectation; or never +thoroughly knew the manners of their king till he had got them entirely +in his power: which, however, is notoriously false; for many, with the +Doves in the fable, are so silly, that they would admit of a Kite, +rather than be without a king. The truth is, we ought not to incur the +possibility of being deceived in so important a matter as this: an +unlimited power should not be trusted in the hands of any one who is not +endued with a perfection more than human. + + + + +FABLE XVII. + +[Illustration: THE COUNTRY MOUSE AND THE CITY MOUSE.] + + +An honest, plain, sensible Country Mouse, is said to have entertained at +his hole one day a fine Mouse of the Town. Having formerly been +playfellows together, they were old acquaintance, which served as an +apology for the visit. However, as master of the house, he thought +himself obliged to do the honours of it, in all respects, and to make as +great a stranger of his guest as he possibly could. In order to this, he +set before him a reserve of delicate grey peas and bacon, a dish of fine +oatmeal, some parings of new cheese, and, to crown all with a dessert, a +remnant of a charming mellow apple. In good manners, he forbore to eat +any himself, lest the stranger should not have enough; but, that he +might seem to bear the other company, sat and nibbled a piece of a +wheaten straw very busily. At last says the spark of the town, 'Old +crony, give me leave to be a little free with you; how can you bear to +live in this nasty, dirty, melancholy hole here, with nothing but woods +and meadows, and mountains, and rivulets, about you? Do not you prefer +the conversation of the world to the chirping of birds, and the +splendour of a court to the rude aspect of an uncultivated desert! Come, +take my word for it, you will find it a change for the better. Never +stand considering, but away this moment. Remember, we are not immortal, +and therefore have no time to lose. Make sure of to-day, and spend it as +agreeably as you can; you know not what may happen to-morrow.' In short, +these and such like arguments prevailed, and his Country Acquaintance +was resolved to go to town that night. So they both set out upon their +journey together, proposing to sneak in after the close of the evening. +They did so; and, about midnight, made their entry into a certain great +house, where there had been an extraordinary entertainment the day +before, and several tit-bits, which some of the servants had purloined, +were hid under the seat of a window. The Country Guest was immediately +placed in the midst of a rich Persian carpet: and now it was the +Courtier's turn to entertain; who, indeed, acquitted himself in that +capacity with the utmost readiness and address, changing the courses as +elegantly, and tasting every thing first as judiciously, as any clerk of +a kitchen, the other sat and enjoyed himself like a delighted epicure, +tickled to the last degree with this new turn of his affairs; when, on a +sudden, a noise of somebody opening the door made them start from their +seats, and scuttle in confusion about the dining-room. Our Country +Friend, in particular, was ready to die with fear at the barking of a +huge mastiff or two, which opened their throats just about the same +time, and made the whole house echo. At last, recovering +himself--'Well,' says he, 'if this be your town life, much good may do +you with it: give me my poor quiet hole again, with my homely, but +comfortable, grey peas.' + + +APPLICATION. + +A moderate fortune, with a quiet retirement in the country, is +preferable to the greatest affluence which is attended with care and the +perplexity of business, and inseparable from the noise and hurry of the +town. The practice of the generality of people of the best taste, it is +to be owned, is directly against us in this point; but, when it is +considered that this practise of theirs proceeds rather from a +compliance with the fashion of the times, than their own private +thoughts, the objection is of no force. Among the great numbers of men +who have received a learned education, how few are there but either have +their fortunes entirely to make, or, at least, think they deserve to +have, and ought not to lose the opportunity of getting, somewhat more +than their fathers have left them! The town is the field of action for +volunteers of this kind; and whatever fondness they may have for the +country, yet they must stay till their circumstances will admit of a +retreat thither. But sure there never was a man yet, who lived in a +constant return of trouble and fatigue in town, as all men of business +do in some degree or other, but has formed to himself some end of +getting some sufficient competency, which may enable him to purchase a +quiet possession in the country, where he may indulge his genius, and +give up his old age to that easy smooth life which, in the tempest of +business, he had so often longed for. Can any thing argue more strongly +for a country life, than to observe what a long course of labour people +go through, and what difficulties they encounter to come at it? They +look upon it, at a distance, like a kind of heaven, a place of rest and +happiness; and are pushing forward through the rugged thorny cares of +the world, to make their way towards it. If there are many who, though +born to plentiful fortunes, yet live most part of their time in the +noise, the smoke, and hurry of the town, we shall find, upon inquiry, +that necessary indispensible business is the real or pretended plea +which most of them have to make for it. The court and the senate require +the attendance of some: lawsuits, and the proper direction of trade, +engage others: they who have a sprightly wit and an elegant taste for +conversation, will resort to the place which is frequented by people of +the same turn, whatever aversion they may otherwise have for it; and +others, who have no such pretence, have yet this to say, that they +follow the fashion. They who appear to have been men of the best sense +amongst the ancients, always recommended the country as the most proper +scene for innocence, ease, and virtuous pleasure; and, accordingly, lost +no opportunities of enjoying it: and men of the greatest distinction +among the moderns, have ever thought themselves most happy when they +could be decently spared from the employments which the excellency of +their talents necessarily threw them into, to embrace the charming +leisure of a country life. + + + + +FABLE XVIII. + +[Illustration: THE SWALLOW AND OTHER BIRDS.] + + +A farmer was sowing his field with flax. The Swallow observed it, and +desired the other Birds to assist her in picking the seed up, and in +destroying it; telling them, that flax was that pernicious material of +which the thread was composed which made the fowler's nets, and by that +means contributed to the ruin of so many innocent birds. But the poor +Swallow not having the good fortune to be regarded, the flax sprung up, +and appeared above the ground. She then put them in mind once more of +their impending danger, and wished them to pluck it up in the bud, +before it went any further. They still neglected her warnings; and the +flax grew up into the high stalk. She yet again desired them to attack +it, for that it was not yet too late. But all that she could get was to +be ridiculed and despised for a silly pretending prophet. The Swallow +finding all her remonstrances availed nothing, was resolved to leave the +society of such unthinking, careless creatures, before it was too late. +So quitting the woods, she repaired to the houses, and forsaking the +conversation of the Birds, has ever since made her abode among the +dwellings of men. + + +APPLICATION. + +As men, we should always exercise so much humanity as to endeavour the +welfare of mankind, particularly of our acquaintance and relations: and, +if by nothing further, at least by our good advice. When we have done +this, and, if occasion required, continued to repeat it a second or +third time, we shall have acquitted ourselves sufficiently from any +imputation upon their miscarriage; and having nothing more to do but to +separate ourselves from them, that we may not be involved in their ruin, +or be supposed to partake of their error. This is an excommunication +which reason allows. For as it would be cruel, on the one side, to +prosecute and hurt people for being mistaken, so, on the other, it would +be indiscreet and over complaisant, to keep them company through all +their wrong notions, and act contrary to our opinion out of pure +civility. + + + + +FABLE XIX. + +[Illustration: THE HUNTED BEAVER.] + + +It is said that a Beaver (a creature which lives chiefly in the water) +has a certain part about him which is good in physic, and that, upon +this account, he is often hunted down and killed. Once upon a time, as +one of these creatures was hard pursued by the dogs, and knew not how to +escape, recollecting with himself the reason of his being thus +persecuted, with a great resolution and presence of mind, he bit off the +part which his hunters wanted, and throwing it towards them, by these +means escaped with his life. + + +APPLICATION. + +However it is among beasts, there are few human creatures but what are +hunted for something else besides either their lives or the pleasure of +hunting them. The inquisition would hardly be so keen against the Jews, +if they had not something belonging to them which their persecutors +esteem more valuable than their souls; which whenever that wise, but +obstinate people, can prevail with themselves to part with, there is an +end of the chase for that time. Indeed, when life is pursued, and in +danger, whoever values it, should give up every thing but his honour to +preserve it. And when a discarded minister is prosecuted for having +damaged the commonwealth, let him but throw down some of the fruits of +his iniquity to the hunters, and one may engage for his coming off, in +other respects, with a whole skin. + + + + +FABLE XX. + +[Illustration: THE CAT AND THE FOX.] + + +As the Cat and the Fox were talking politics together, on a time, in the +middle of a forest, Reynard said, 'Let things turn out ever so bad, he +did not care, for he had a thousand tricks for them yet, before they +should hurt him.'--'But pray,' says he, 'Mrs. Puss, suppose there should +be an invasion, what course do you design to take?'--'Nay,' says the +Cat, 'I have but one shift for it, and if that won't do, I am +undone.'--'I am sorry for you, replies Reynard, 'with all my heart, and +would gladly furnish you with one or two of mine, but indeed, neighbour, +as times go, it is not good to trust; we must even be every one for +himself, as the saying is, and so your humble servant.' These words were +scarce out of his mouth, when they were alarmed with a pack of hounds, +that came upon them full cry. The Cat, by the help of her single shift, +ran up a tree, and sat securely among the top branches; from whence she +beheld Reynard, who had not been able to get out of sight, overtaken +with his thousand tricks, and torn in as many pieces by the dogs which +had surrounded him. + + +APPLICATION. + +A man that sets up for more cunning than the rest of his neighbours, is +generally a silly fellow at the bottom. Whoever is master of a little +judgment and insight into things, let him keep them to himself, and make +use of them as he sees occasion; but he should not be teasing others +with an idle and impertinent ostentation of them. One good discreet +expedient, made use of upon an emergency, will do a man more real +service, and make others think better of him, than to have passed all +along for a shrewd crafty knave, and be bubbled at last. When any one +has been such a coxcomb as to insult his acquaintance, by pretending to +more policy and stratagem than the rest of mankind, they are apt to wish +for some difficulty for him to show his skill in; where, if he should +miscarry (as ten to one but he does) his misfortune, instead of pity, is +sure to be attended with laughter. He that sets up for a biter, as the +phrase is, being generally intent upon his prey, or vain of showing his +art, frequently exposes himself to the traps of one sharper than +himself, and incurs the ridicule of those whom he designed to make +ridiculous. + + + + +FABLE XXI. + +[Illustration: THE CAT AND THE MICE.] + + +A certain house was much infested with Mice; but at last they got a Cat, +who catched and eat every day some of them. The Mice, finding their +numbers grow thin, consulted what was best to be done for the +preservation of the public from the jaws of the devouring Cat. They +debated and came to this resolution, That no one should go down below +the upper shelf. The Cat, observing the mice no longer came down as +usual, hungry and disappointed of her prey, had recourse to this +stratagem; she hung by her hinder legs on a peg which stuck in the wall, +and made as if she had been dead, hoping by this lure to entice the Mice +to come down. She had not been in this posture long, before a cunning +old Mouse peeped over the edge of the shelf, and spoke thus:--'Aha, my +good friend, are you there! there may you be! I would not trust myself +with you, though your skin were stuffed with straw.' + + +APPLICATION. + +Prudent folks never trust those a second time who have deceived them +once. And, indeed, we cannot well be too cautious in following this +rule, for, upon examination, we shall find, that most of the misfortunes +which befal us, proceed from our too great credulity. They that know how +to suspect, without exposing or hurting themselves, till honesty comes +to be more in fashion, can never suspect too much. + + + + +FABLE XXII. + +[Illustration: THE LION AND OTHER BEASTS.] + + +The Lion and several other beasts entered into an alliance, offensive +and defensive, and were to live very sociably together in the forest. +One day, having made a sort of an excursion by way of hunting, they took +a very fine, large, fat deer, which was divided into four parts; there +happening to be then present his majesty the Lion, and only three +others. After the division was made, and the parts were set out, his +majesty advancing forward some steps, and pointing to one of the shares, +was pleased to declare himself after the following manner: 'This I seize +and take possession of as my right, which devolves to me, as I am +descended by a true, lineal, hereditary succession from the royal family +of Lion: that (pointing to the second) I claim by, I think, no +unreasonable demand; considering that all the engagements you have with +the enemy turn chiefly upon my courage and conduct; and you very well +know, that wars are too expensive to be carried on without proper +supplies. Then (nodding his head towards the third) that I shall take by +virtue of my prerogative; to which, I make no question, but so dutiful +and loyal a people will pay all the deference and regard that I can +desire. Now, as for the remaining part, the necessity of our present +affairs is so very urgent, our stock so low, and our credit so impaired +and weakened, that I must insist upon your granting that, without any +hesitation or demur; and hereof fail not at your peril.' + + +APPLICATION. + +No alliance is safe which is made with those that are superior to us in +power. Though they lay themselves under the most strict and solemn ties +at the opening of the congress, yet the first advantageous opportunity +will tempt them to break the treaty; and they will never want specious +pretences to furnish out their declarations of war. It is not easy to +determine, whether it is more stupid and ridiculous for a community to +trust itself first in the hands of those that are more powerful than +themselves, or to wonder afterwards that their confidence and credulity +are abused, and their properties invaded. + + + + +FABLE XXIII. + +[Illustration: THE LION AND THE MOUSE.] + + +A Lion, faint with heat, and weary with hunting, was laid down to take +his repose under the spreading boughs of a thick shady oak. It happened +that, while he slept, a company of scrambling Mice ran over his back, +and waked him: upon which, starting up, he clapped his paw upon one of +them, and was just going to put it to death; when the little suppliant +implored his mercy in a very moving manner, begging him not to slain his +noble character with the blood of so despicable and small a beast. The +Lion, considering the matter, thought proper to do as he was desired, +and immediately released his little trembling prisoner. Not long after, +traversing the forest in pursuit of his prey, he chanced to run into +the toils of the hunters; from whence, not able to disengage himself, +he set up a most hideous and loud roar. The Mouse, hearing the voice, +and knowing it to be the Lion's, immediately repaired to the place, and +bid him fear nothing, for that he was his friend. Then straight he fell +to work, and, with his little sharp teeth, gnawing asunder the knots and +fastenings of the toils, set the royal brute at liberty. + + +APPLICATION. + +This fable gives us to understand, that there is no person in the world +so little, but even the greatest may, at some time or other, stand in +need of his assistance; and consequently that it is good to use +clemency, where there is any room for it, towards those who fall within +our power. A generosity of this kind is a handsome virtue, and looks +very graceful whenever it is exerted, if there were nothing else in it: +but as the lowest people in life may, upon occasion, have it in their +power either to serve or hurt us, that makes it our duty, in point of +common interest, to behave ourselves with good nature and lenity towards +all with whom we have to do. Then the gratitude of the Mouse, and his +readiness not only to repay, but even to exceed, the obligation due to +his benefactor, notwithstanding his little body, gives us the specimen +of a great soul, which is never so much delighted as with an opportunity +of showing how sensible it is of favours received. + + + + +FABLE XXIV. + +[Illustration: THE FATAL MARRIAGE.] + + +The Lion aforesaid, touched with the grateful procedure of the Mouse, +and resolving not to be outdone in generosity by any wild beast +whatsoever, desired his little deliverer to name his own terms, for that +he might depend upon his complying with any proposal he should make. The +Mouse, fired with ambition at this gracious offer, did not so much +consider what was proper for him to ask, as what was in the power of his +prince to grant; and so presumptuously demanded his princely daughter, +the young Lioness, in marriage. The Lion consented: but, when he would +have given the royal virgin into his possession, she, like a giddy thing +as she was, not minding how she walked, by chance set her paw upon her +spouse, who was coming to meet her, and crushed her little dear to +pieces. + + +APPLICATION. + +This fable seems intended to show us how miserable some people make +themselves by a wrong choice, when they have all the good things in the +world spread before them to choose out of. In short, if that one +particular of judgment be wanting, it is not in the power of the +greatest monarch upon earth, nor of the repeated smiles of fortune, to +make us happy. It is the want or possession of a good judgment which +oftentimes makes the prince a poor wretch, and the poor philosopher +completely easy. Now, the first and chief degree of judgment is to know +one's self; to be able to make a tolerable estimate of one's own +capacity, so as not to speak or undertake any thing which may either +injure or make us ridiculous: and yet (as wonderful as it is) there have +been men of allowed good sense in particular, and possessed of all +desirable qualifications in general, to make life delightful and +agreeable, who have unhappily contrived to match themselves with women +of a genius and temper necessarily tending to blast their peace. This +proceeds from some unaccountable blindness: but when wealthy plebeians, +of mean extraction and unrefined education, as an equivalent for their +money, demand brides out of the nurseries of our peerage, their being +despised, or at least overlooked, is so unavoidable, unless in +extraordinary cases, that nothing but a false taste of glory could make +them enter upon a scheme so inconsistent and unpromising. + + + + +FABLE XXV. + +[Illustration: THE MISCHIEVOUS DOG.] + + +A certain man had a Dog, which was so fierce and mischievous, that he +was forced to fasten a heavy clog about his neck, to keep him from +running at and worrying people. This the vain cur took for a badge of +honourable distinction; and grew so insolent upon it, that he looked +down with an air of scorn upon the neighbouring dogs, and refused to +keep them company. But a sly old poacher, who was one of the gang, +assured him, that he had no reason to value himself upon the favour he +wore, since it was fixed upon him rather as a mark of disgrace than of +honour. + + +APPLICATION. + +Some people are so exceeding vain, and at the same time so dull of +apprehension, that they interpret every thing by which they are +distinguished from others in their own favour. If they betray any +weaknesses in conversation, which are apt to excite the laughter of +their company, they make no scruple of ascribing it to their superiority +in point of wit. If want of sense or breeding (one of which is always +the case) disposes them to give, or mistake, affronts, upon which +account all discreet sensible people are obliged to shun their company, +they impute it to their own valour and magnanimity, to which they fancy +the world pays an awful and respectful deference. There are several +decent ways of preventing such turbulent men from doing mischief, which +might be applied with secrecy, and many times pass unregarded, if their +own arrogance did not require the rest of mankind to take notice of it. + + + + +FABLE XXVI. + +[Illustration: THE OX AND THE FROG.] + + +An Ox, grazing in a meadow, chanced to set his foot among a parcel of +young Frogs, and trod one of them to death. The rest informed their +mother, when she came home, what had happened; telling her, that the +beast which did it was the hugest creature that they ever saw in their +lives. 'What, was it so big?' says the old Frog, swelling and blowing up +her speckled belly to a great degree. 'Oh! bigger by a vast deal,' say +they. 'And so big?' says she, straining herself yet more. 'Indeed, +mamma,' say they, 'If you were to burst yourself, you would never be so +big.' She strove yet again, and burst herself indeed. + + +APPLICATION. + +Whenever a man endeavours to live equal with one of a greater fortune +than himself, he is sure to share a like fate with the Frog in the +fable. How many vain people, of moderate easy circumstances, burst and +come to nothing, by vying with those whose estates are more ample than +their own? Sir Changeling Plumstock was possessed of a very considerable +estate, devolved to him by the death of an old uncle, who had adopted +him his heir. He had a false taste of happiness, and, without the least +economy, trusting to the sufficiency of his vast revenue, was resolved +to be outdone by nobody in showish grandeur and expensive living. He +gave five thousand pounds for a piece of ground in the country to set a +house upon; the building and furniture of which cost fifty thousand +more; and his gardens were proportionably magnificent. Besides which, he +thought himself under a necessity of buying out two or three tenements +which stood in his neighbourhood, that he might have elbow-room enough. +All this he could very well bear; and still might have been happy, had +it not been for an unfortunate view which he one day happened to take of +my Lord Castlebuilder's gardens, which consisted of twenty acres, +whereas his own were not above twelve. From that time he grew pensive; +and, before the ensuing winter, gave five and thirty years purchase for +a dozen acres more to enlarge his gardens; built a couple of exorbitant +greenhouses, and a large pavilion at the further end of a terrace-walk. +The bare repairs and superintendencies of all which call for the +remaining part of his income. He is mortgaged pretty deep, and pays +nobody; but, being a privileged person, resides altogether at a private +cheap lodging in the City of Westminster. + + + + +FABLE XXVII. + +[Illustration: THE FOX AND THE LION.] + + +The first time the Fox saw the Lion, he fell down at his feet, and was +ready to die with fear. The second time, he took courage, and could even +bear to look upon him. The third time, he had the impudence to come up +to him, to salute him, and to enter into familiar conversation with him. + + +APPLICATION. + +From this fable we may observe the two extremes in which we may fail, as +to a proper behaviour towards our superiors: the one is a bashfulness, +proceeding either from a vicious guilty mind, or a timorous rusticity; +the other, an over-bearing impudence, which assumes more than becomes +it, and so renders the person insufferable to the conversation of +well-bred reasonable people. But there is this difference between the +bashfulness that arises from a want of education, and the shamefacedness +that accompanies conscious guilt; the first, by a continuance of time +and a nearer acquaintance, may be ripened into a proper liberal +behaviour; the other no sooner finds an easy practicable access, but it +throws off all manner of reverence, grows every day more and more +familiar, and branches out into the utmost indecency and irregularity. +Indeed, there are many occasions which may happen to cast an awe, or +even a terror, upon our minds at first view, without any just and +reasonable grounds; but upon a little recollection, or a nearer insight, +we recover ourselves, and can appear indifferent and unconcerned, where, +before, we were ready to sink under a load of diffidence and fear. We +should, upon such occasions, use our endeavours to regain a due degree +of steadiness and resolution; but, at the same time, we must have a care +that our efforts in that respect do not force the balance too much, and +make it rise to an unbecoming freedom and an offensive familiarity. + + + + +FABLE XXVIII. + +[Illustration: THE APE AND THE FOX.] + + +The Ape meeting the Fox one day, humbly requested him to give him a +piece of his fine, long, brush tail, to cover his poor naked backside, +which was exposed to all the violence and inclemency of the weather; +'For,' says he, 'Reynard, you have already more than you have occasion +for, and a great part of it even drags along in the dirt.' The Fox +answered, 'That as to his having too much, that was more than he knew; +but be it as it would, he had rather sweep the ground with his tail, as +long as he lived, than deprive himself of the least bit to cover the +Ape's nasty stinking posteriors.' + + +APPLICATION. + +One cannot help considering the world, in the particular of the goods of +fortune, as a kind of lottery; in which some few are entitled to prizes +of different degrees; others, and those by much the greatest part, come +off with little or nothing. Some, like the Fox, have even larger +circumstances than they know what to do with, insomuch that they are +rather a charge and incumbrance than of any true use and pleasure to +them. Others, like the poor Ape's case, are all blank; not having been +so lucky as to draw from the wheel of fortune wherewith to cover their +nakedness, and live with tolerable decency. That these things are left, +in a great measure, by Providence, to the blind uncertain shuffle of +chance, is reasonable to conclude from the unequal distribution of them; +for there is seldom any regard had to true merit upon these occasions; +folly and knavery ride in coaches, while good sense and honesty walk in +the dirt. The all-wise Disposer of events does certainly permit these +things for just and good purposes, which our shallow understanding is +not able to fathom; but, humanly thinking, if the riches and power of +the world were to be always in the hands of the virtuous part of +mankind, they would be more likely to do good with them in their +generation, than the vile sottish wretches who generally enjoy them. A +truly good man would direct all the superfluous part of his wealth, at +least, for the necessities of his fellow-creatures, though there were no +religion which enjoined it: but selfish and avaricious people, who are +always great knaves, how much soever they may have, will never think +they have enough: much less be induced, by any consideration of virtue +and religion, to part with the least farthing for public charity and +beneficence. + + + + +FABLE XXIX. + +[Illustration: THE DOG IN THE MANGER.] + + +A Dog was lying upon a manger full of hay. An Ox, being hungry, came +near, and offered to eat of the hay; but the envious ill-natured cur, +getting up and snarling at him, would not suffer him to touch it. Upon +which the Ox, in the bitterness of his heart, said, 'A curse light on +thee, for a malicious wretch, who wilt neither eat hay thyself, nor +suffer others to do it.' + + +APPLICATION. + +Envy is the most unnatural and unaccountable of all the passions. There +is scarce any other emotion of the mind, however unreasonable, but may +have something said in excuse for it; and there are many of these +weaknesses of the soul, which, notwithstanding the wrongness and +irregularity of them, swell the heart, while they last, with pleasure +and gladness. But the envious man has no such apology as this to make; +the stronger the passion is, the greater torment he endures; and +subjects himself to a continual real pain, by only wishing ill to +others. Revenge is sweet, though cruel and inhuman; and though it +sometimes thirsts even for blood, yet may be glutted and satiated. +Avarice is something highly monstrous and absurd; yet, as it is a desire +after riches, every little acquisition gives it pleasure; and to behold +and feel the hoarded treasure, to a covetous man, is a constant +uncloying enjoyment. But envy, which is an anxiety arising in our minds, +upon our observing accomplishments in others which we want ourselves, +can never receive any true comfort, unless in a deluge, a conflagration, +a plague, or some general calamity that should befal mankind: for, as +long as there is a creature living, that enjoys its being happily within +the envious man's sphere, it will afford nourishment to his distempered +mind; but such nourishment as will make him pine, and fret, and emaciate +himself to nothing. + + + + +FABLE XXX. + +[Illustration: THE BIRDS, THE BEASTS, AND THE BAT.] + + +Once upon a time there commenced a fierce war between the Birds and the +Beasts; when the Bat, taking advantage of his ambiguous make hoped, by +that means, to live secure in a state of neutrality, and save his bacon. +It was not long before the forces on each side met, and gave battle; +and, their animosities running very high, a bloody slaughter ensued. The +Bat, at the beginning of the day, thinking the birds most likely to +carry it, listed himself among them; but kept fluttering at a little +distance, that he might the better observe, and take his measures +accordingly. However, after some time spent in the action, the army of +the Beasts seeming to prevail, he went entirely over to them, and +endeavoured to convince them, by the affinity which he had to a Mouse, +that he was by nature a beast, and would always continue firm and true +to their interest. His plea was admitted; but, in the end, the advantage +turning completely on the side of the Birds, under the admirable conduct +and courage of their general the Eagle, the Bat, to save his life, and +escape the disgrace of falling into the hands of his deserted friends, +betook himself to flight; and ever since, skulking in caves and hollow +trees all day, as if ashamed to show himself, he never appears till the +dusk of the evening, when all the feathered inhabitants of the air are +gone to roost. + + +APPLICATION. + +For any one to desert the interest of his country, and turn renegado, +either out of fear, or any prospect of advantage, is so notoriously vile +and low, that it is no wonder if the man, who is detected in it, is for +ever ashamed to see the sun, and to show himself in the eyes of those +whose cause he has betrayed. Yet, as there is scarce any vice, even to +be imagined, but there may be found men who have been guilty of it, +perhaps there have been as many criminals in the case before us, as in +any one particular besides, notwithstanding the aggravation and +extraordinary degree of its baseness. We cannot help reflecting upon it +with horror: but, as truly detestable as this vice is, and must be +acknowledged to be, by all mankind, so far are those that practise it +from being treated with a just resentment by the rest of mankind, that +by the kind reception they afterwards meet with, they rather seem to be +encouraged and applauded, than despised and discountenanced, for it. + + + + +FABLE XXXI. + +[Illustration: THE FOX AND THE TIGER.] + + +A skilful archer coming into the woods, directed his arrows so +successfully, that he slew many wild beasts, and pursued several others. +This put the whole savage kind into a fearful consternation, and made +them fly to the most retired thickets for refuge. At last, the Tiger +resumed a courage, and, bidding them not to be afraid, said, that he +alone would engage the enemy; telling them, they might depend upon his +valour and strength to revenge their wrongs. In the midst of these +threats, while he was lashing himself with his tail, and tearing up the +ground for anger, an arrow pierced his ribs, and hung by its barbed +point in his side. He set up an hideous and loud roar, occasioned by +the anguish which he felt, and endeavoured to draw out the painful dart +with his teeth; when the Fox, approaching him, inquired with an air of +surprise, who it was that could have strength and courage enough to +wound so mighty and valorous a beast?--'Ah!' says the Tiger, 'I was +mistaken in my reckoning: it was that invincible man yonder.' + + +APPLICATION. + +Though strength and courage are very good ingredients towards the making +us secure and formidable in the world, yet, unless there be a proper +portion of wisdom or policy to direct them, instead of being +serviceable, they often prove detrimental to their proprietors. A rash +froward man, who depends upon the excellence of his own parts and +accomplishments, is likewise apt to expose a weak side, which his +enemies might not otherwise have observed, and gives an advantage to +others by those very means which he fancied would have secured it to +himself. Counsel and conduct always did, and always will, govern the +world; and the strong, in spite of all their force, can never avoid +being tools to the crafty. Some men are as much superior to others in +wisdom and policy, as man, in general, is above a brute. Strength +ill-concerted, opposed to them, is like a quarter staff in the hands of +a huge, robust, but bungling fellow, who fights against a master of the +science. The latter, though without a weapon, would have skill and +address enough to disarm his adversary, and drub him with his own staff. +In a word, savage fierceness and brutal strength must not pretend to +stand in competition with finesse and stratagem. + + + + +FABLE XXXII. + +[Illustration: THE LIONESS AND THE FOX.] + + +The Lioness and the Fox meeting together fell into discourse; and the +conversation turning upon the breeding and the fruitfulness of some +living creatures above others, the Fox could not forbear taking the +opportunity of observing to the Lioness, that, for her part, she thought +Foxes were as happy in that respect as almost any other creatures; for +that they bred constantly once a year, if not oftener, and always had a +good litter of cubs at every birth: 'and yet,' says she, 'there are +those who are never delivered of more than one at a time, and that +perhaps not above once or twice through their whole life, who hold up +their noses, and value themselves so much upon it, that they think all +other creatures beneath them, and scarce worthy to be spoken to.' The +Lioness, who all the while perceived at whom this reflection pointed, +was fired with resentment, and with a good deal of vehemence +replied--'What you have observed may be true, and that not without +reason. You produce a great many at a litter, and often; but what are +they?--Foxes. I indeed have but one at a time; but you should remember +that this one is a Lion.' + + +APPLICATION. + +Our productions, of whatsoever kind, are not to be esteemed so much by +the quantity as the quality of them. It is not being employed much, but +well, and to the purpose, which makes us useful to the age we live in, +and celebrated by those which are to come. As it is a misfortune to the +countries which are infested with them, for Foxes and other vermin to +multiply; so one cannot help throwing out a melancholy reflection, when +one sees some particulars of the humankind increase so fast as they do. +But the most obvious meaning of this fable, is the hint it gives us in +relation to authors. These gentlemen should never attempt to raise +themselves a reputation, by enumerating a catalogue of their +productions; since there is more glory in having written one tolerable +piece, than a thousand indifferent ones. And whoever has had the good +fortune to please in one performance of this kind, should be very +cautious how he ventures his reputation in a second. + + + + +FABLE XXXIII. + +[Illustration: THE OAK AND THE REED.] + + +An oak, which hung over the bank of a river, was blown down by a violent +storm of wind; and as it was carried along by the stream, some of its +boughs brushed against a Reed which grew near the shore. This struck the +Oak with a thought of admiration; and he could not forbear asking the +Reed, how he came to stand so secure and unhurt, in a tempest which had +been furious enough to tear an Oak up by the roots? 'Why,' says the +Reed, 'I secure myself by putting on a behaviour quite contrary to what +you do; instead of being stubborn and stiff, and confiding in my +strength, I yield and bend to the blast, and let it go over me; knowing +how vain and fruitless it would be to resist.' + + +APPLICATION. + +Though a tame submission to injuries which it is in our power to +redress, be generally esteemed a base and a dishonourable thing; yet, to +resist where there is no probability, or even hopes, of our getting the +better, may also be looked upon as the effect of a blind temerity, and +perhaps of a weak understanding. The strokes of fortune are oftentimes +as irresistible as they are severe; and he who, with an impatient +reluctant spirit, fights against her, instead of alleviating, does but +double her blows upon himself. A person of a quiet still temper, whether +it is given him by Nature, or acquired by art, calmly composes himself, +in the midst of a storm, so as to elude the shock, or receive it with +the least detriment; like a prudent experienced sailor, who is swimming +to the shore from a wrecked vessel in a swelling sea, he does not oppose +the fury of the waves, but stoops and gives way, that they may roll over +his head without obstruction. The doctrine of absolute submission in all +cases is an absurd dogmatical precept, with nothing but ignorance and +superstition to support it: but, upon particular occasions, and where it +is impossible for us to overcome, to submit patiently is one of the most +reasonable maxims in life. + + + + +FABLE XXXIV. + +[Illustration: THE WIND AND THE SUN.] + + +A dispute once arose between the north Wind and the Sun, about the +superiority of their power; and they agreed to try their strength upon a +traveller, which should be able to get his cloak off first. The north +Wind began, and blew a very cold blast, accompanied with a sharp driving +shower. But this, and whatever else he could do, instead of making the +man quit his cloak, obliged him to gird it about his body as close as +possible. Next came the Sun, who, breaking out from a thick watery +cloud, drove away the cold vapours from the sky, and darted his warm +sultry beams upon the head of the poor weather-beaten traveller. The man +growing faint with the heat, and unable to endure it any longer, first +throws off his heavy cloak, and then flies for protection to the shade +of a neighbouring grove. + + +APPLICATION. + +There is something in the temper of men so averse to severe and +boisterous treatment, that he who endeavours to carry his point that +way, instead of prevailing, generally leaves the mind of him, whom he +has thus attempted, in a more confirmed and obstinate situation than he +found it at first. Bitter words and hard usage freeze the heart into a +kind of obduracy, which mild persuasion and gentle language only can +dissolve and soften. Persecution has always fixed and rivetted those +opinions which it was intended to dispel; and some discerning men have +attributed the quick growth of Christianity, in a great measure, to the +rough and barbarous reception which its first teachers met with in the +world. The same may have been observed of our reformation; the blood of +the martyrs was the manure which produced that great Protestant crop, on +which the church of England has subsisted ever since. Providence, which +always makes use of the most natural means to attain its purpose, has +thought fit to establish the purest religion by this method: the +consideration of which may give a proper check to those who are +continually endeavouring to root out errors by that very management, +which so infallibly fixes and implants all opinions, as well erroneous +as orthodox. When an opinion is so violently attacked, it raises an +attention in the persecuted party, and gives an alarm to their vanity, +by making them think that worth defending and keeping, at the hazard of +their lives, which, perhaps, otherwise they would only have admired +awhile for the sake of its novelty, and afterwards resigned of their own +accord. In short, a fierce turbulent opposition, like the north Wind, +only serves to make a man wrap up his notions more closely about him; +but we know not what a kind, warm, Sun-shiny behaviour, rightly applied, +would not be able to effect. + + + + +FABLE XXXV. + +[Illustration: THE KITE, THE FROG, AND THE MOUSE.] + + +There was once a great emulation between the Frog and the Mouse, which +should be master of the fen, and wars ensued upon it. But the crafty +Mouse, lurking under the grass in ambuscade, made sudden sallies, and +often surprised the enemy at a disadvantage. The Frog, excelling in +strength, and being more able to leap abroad and take the field, +challenged the Mouse to single combat. The Mouse accepts the challenge; +and each of them entered the lists, armed with a point of a bulrush +instead of a spear. A Kite, sailing in the air, beheld them afar off; +and, while they were eagerly bent upon each other, and pressing on to +the duel, this fatal enemy descended souse upon them, and with her +crooked talons carried off both the champions. + + +APPLICATION. + +Nothing so much exposes a man's weak side, and lays him so open to an +enemy, as passion and malice. He whose attention is wholly fixed upon +forming a project of revenge, is ignorant of the mischiefs that may be +hatching against him from some other quarter, and, upon the attack, is +unprovided with the means of defending or securing himself. How are the +members of a commonwealth sometimes divided amongst themselves, and +inspired with rancour and malice to the last degree; and often upon as +great a trifle as that which was the subject matter of debate between +the Frog and the Mouse; not for any real advantage, but merely who shall +get the better in the dispute? But such animosities, as insignificant +and trifling as they may be among themselves, are yet of the last +importance to their enemies, by giving them many fair opportunities of +falling upon them, and reducing them to misery and slavery. O Britons, +when will ye be wise! when will ye throw away the ridiculous +distinctions of party, those ends of bulrushes, and by a prudent union +secure yourselves in a state of peace and prosperity! A state, of which, +if it were not for your intolerably foolish and unnecessary divisions at +home, all the powers upon earth could never deprive you. + + + + +FABLE XXXVI. + +[Illustration: THE FROGS DESIRING A KING.] + + +The Frogs, living an easy free life every where among the lakes and +ponds, assembled together, one day, in a very tumultuous manner, and +petitioned Jupiter to let them have a King, who might inspect their +morals, and make them live a little honester. Jupiter, being at that +time in pretty good humour, was pleased to laugh heartily at their +ridiculous request; and, throwing a little log down into the pool, +cried, 'There is a King for you.' The sudden splash which this made by +its fall into the water, at first terrified them so exceedingly, that +they were afraid to come near it. But in a little time, seeing it lay +still without moving, they ventured, by degrees, to approach it; and at +last, finding there was no danger, they leaped upon it; and, in short, +treated it as familiarly as they pleased. But not contented with so +insipid a King as this was, they sent their deputies to petition again +for another sort of one; for this they neither did nor could like. Upon +that he sent them a Stork, who, without any ceremony, fell a devouring +and eating them up, one after another, as fast as he could. Then they +applied themselves privately to Mercury, and got him to speak to Jupiter +in their behalf, that he would be so good as to bless them again with +another King, or to restore them to their former state. 'No,' says he, +'since it was their own choice, let the obstinate wretches suffer the +punishment due to their folly.' + + +APPLICATION. + +It is pretty extraordinary to find a fable of this kind finished with so +bold and yet polite a turn by Phaedrus: one who attained his freedom by +the favour of Augustus, and wrote it in the time of Tiberius; who were, +successively, tyrannical usurpers of the Roman government. If we may +take his word for it, AEsop spoke it upon this occasion. When the +commonwealth of Athens flourished under good wholesome laws of its own +enacting, they relied so much upon the security of their liberty, that +they negligently suffered it to run out into licentiousness. And +factions happening to be fomented among them by designing people, much +about the same time, Pisistratus took that opportunity to make himself +master of their citadel and liberties both together. The Athenians +finding themselves in a slate of slavery, though their tyrant happened +to be a very merciful one, yet could not bear the thoughts of it; so +that AEsop, where there was no remedy, prescribes to them patience, by +the example of the foregoing fable; and adds, at last, 'Wherefore, my +dear countrymen, be contented with your present condition, bad as it is, +for fear a change should be worse.' + + + + +FABLE XXXVII. + +[Illustration: THE OLD WOMAN AND HER MAIDS.] + + +A certain Old Woman had several Maids, whom she used to call up to their +work, every morning, at the crowing of the Cock. The Wenches, who found +it grievous to have their sweet sleep disturbed so early, combined +together, and killed the Cock; thinking, that, when the alarm was gone, +they might enjoy themselves in their warm beds a little longer. The Old +Woman, grieved for the loss of her Cock, and having, by some means or +other, discovered the whole plot, was resolved to be even with them; +for, from that time, she obliged them to rise constantly at midnight. + + +APPLICATION. + +It can never be expected that things should be, in all respects, +agreeable to our wishes; and, if they are not very bad indeed, we +ought, in many cases, to be contented with them; lest when, through +impatience, we precipitately quit our present condition of life, we may +to our sorrow find, with the old saying, that seldom comes a better. +Before we attempt any alteration of moment, we should be certain what +state it will produce; for, when things are already bad, to make them +worse by trying experiments, is an argument of great weakness and folly, +and is sure to be attended with a too late repentance. Grievances, if +really such, ought by all means to be redressed, provided we can be +assured of doing it with success: but we had better, at any time, bear +with some inconvenience, than make our condition worse by attempting to +mend it. + + + + +FABLE XXXVIII. + +[Illustration: THE LION, THE BEAR, AND THE FOX.] + + +A Lion and a Bear fell together by the ears over the carcass of a Fawn +which they found in the forest, their title to him being to be decided +by force of arms. The battle was severe and tough on both sides, and +they held it out, tearing and worrying one another so long, that, what +with wounds and fatigue, they were so faint and weary, that they were +not able to strike another stroke. Thus, while they lay upon the ground, +panting and lolling out their tongues, a Fox chanced to pass by that +way, who, perceiving how the case stood, very impudently stepped in +between them, seized the booty which they had all this while been +contending for, and carried it off. The two combatants, who lay and +beheld all this, without having strength enough to stir and prevent it, +were only wise enough to make this reflection: 'Behold the fruits of our +strife and contention! that villain, the Fox, bears away the prize, and +we ourselves have deprived each other of the power to recover it from +him.' + + +APPLICATION. + +When people go to law about an uncertain title, and have spent their +whole estate in the contest, nothing is more common than for some little +pettifogging attorney to step in and secure it to himself. The very name +of law seems to imply equity and justice, and that is the bait which has +drawn in many to their ruin. Others are excited by their passions, and +care not if they destroy themselves, so they do but see their enemy +perish with them. But, if we lay aside prejudice and folly, and think +calmly of the matter, we shall find, that going to law is not the best +way of deciding differences about property; it being, generally +speaking, much safer to trust to the arbitration of two or three honest +sensible neighbours, than, at a vast expense of money, time, and +trouble, to run through the tedious, frivolous forms, with which, by the +artifice of greedy lawyers, a court of judicature is contrived to be +attended. It has been said, that if mankind would lead moral virtuous +lives, there would be no occasion for divines; if they would but live +temperately and soberly, that they would never want physicians; both +which assertions, though true in the main, are yet expressed in too +great a latitude. But one may venture to affirm, that if men preserved +a strict regard to justice and honesty in their dealings with each +other, and, upon any mistake or misapprehension, were always ready to +refer the matter to disinterested umpires, of acknowledged judgment and +integrity, they never could have the least occasion for lawyers. When +people have gone to law, it is rarely to be found but one or both +parties was either stupidly obstinate, or rashly inconsiderate. For, if +the case should happen to be so intricate, that a man of common sense +could not distinguish who had the best title, how easy would it be to +have the opinion of the best counsel in the land, and agree to determine +it by that? If it should appear dubious even after that, how much better +would it be to divide the thing in dispute, rather than go to law, and +hazard the losing not only of the whole, but costs and damages into the +bargain? + + + + +FABLE XXXIX. + +[Illustration: THE CROW AND THE PITCHER.] + + +A Crow, ready to die with thirst, flew with joy to a Pitcher, which he +beheld at some distance. When he came, he found water in it indeed, but +so near the bottom, that, with all his stooping and straining, he was +not able to reach it. Then he endeavoured to overturn the Pitcher, that +so at least he might be able to get a little of it. But his strength was +not sufficient for this. At last, seeing some pebbles lie near the +place, he cast them one by one into the Pitcher; and thus, by degrees, +raised the water up to the very brim, and satisfied his thirst. + + +APPLICATION. + +Many things which cannot be effected by strength, or by the vulgar way +of enterprising, may yet be brought about by some new and untried means. +A man of sagacity and penetration, upon encountering a difficulty or +two, does not immediately despair; but, if he cannot succeed one way, +employs his wit and ingenuity another; and, to avoid or get over an +impediment, makes no scruple of stepping out of the path of his +forefathers. Since our happiness, next to the regulation of our minds, +depends altogether upon our having and enjoying the conveniences of +life, why should we stand upon ceremony about the methods of obtaining +them, or pay any deference to antiquity upon that score? If almost every +age had not exerted itself in some new improvements of its own, we +should want a thousand arts, or, at least, many degrees of perfection in +every art, which at present we are in possession of. The invention of +any thing which is more commodious for the mind or body than what they +had before, ought to be embraced readily, and the projector of it +distinguished with a suitable encouragement. Such as the use of the +compass, for example, from which mankind reaps so much benefit and +advantage, and which was not known to former ages. When we follow the +steps of those who have gone before us in the old beaten track of life, +how do we differ from horses in a team, which are linked to each other +by a chain or harness, and move on in a dull heavy pace, to the tune of +their leader's bells? But the man who enriches the present fund of +knowledge with some new and useful improvement, like a happy adventurer +at sea, discovers, as it were, an unknown land, and imports an +additional trade into his own country. + + + + +FABLE XL. + +[Illustration: THE PORCUPINE AND THE SNAKES.] + + +A Porcupine, wanting to shelter himself, desired a nest of Snakes to +give him admittance into their cave. They were prevailed upon, and let +him in accordingly; but were so annoyed with his sharp prickly quills, +that they soon repented of their easy compliance, and entreated the +Porcupine to withdraw, and leave them their hole to themselves. 'No,' +says he, 'let them quit the place that don't like it; for my part, I am +well enough satisfied as I am.' + + +APPLICATION. + +Some people are of such brutish, inhospitable tempers, that there is no +living with them, without greatly incommoding ourselves. Therefore, +before we enter into any degree of friendship, alliance, or partnership, +with any person whatever, we should thoroughly consider his nature and +qualities, his circumstances and his humour. There ought to be something +in each of these respects to tally and correspond with our own measures, +to suit our genius, and adapt itself to the size and proportion of our +desires; otherwise our associations, of whatever kind, may prove the +greatest plagues of our life. Young men are very apt to run into this +error; and being warm in all their passions, throw open their arms at +once, and admit into the greatest intimacy persons whom they know little +of, but by false and uncertain lights. Thus they sometimes receive a +Viper into their bosom instead of a friend, and take a Porcupine for a +consort, with whom they are obliged to cohabit, though she may prove a +thorn in their sides as long as they live. A true friend is one of the +greatest blessings in life; therefore to be mistaken or disappointed of +such enjoyment, when we hope to be in full possession of it must be as +great a mortification. So that we cannot be too nice and scrupulous in +our choice of those who are to be our companions for life: for they must +have but a poor shallow notion of friendship, who intend to take it, +like a lease, for a term of years only. In a word, the doctrine which +this fable speaks, is to prepare us against being injured or deceived by +a rash combination of any sort. The manners of the man we desire for a +friend, of the woman we like for a wife, of the person with whom we +would jointly manage and concert measures for the advancement of our +temporal interest, should be narrowly and cautiously inspected, before +we embark with them in the same vessel, lest we should alter our mind +when it is too late, and think of regaining the shore after we have +launched out of our depth. + + + + +FABLE XLI. + +[Illustration: THE HARES AND FROGS IN A STORM.] + + +Upon a great storm of wind that blew among the trees and bushes, and +made a rustling with the leaves, the Hares (in a certain park where +there happened to be plenty of them) were so terribly frighted, that +they ran like mad all over the place, resolving to seek out some retreat +of more security, or to end their unhappy days by doing violence to +themselves. With this resolution they found an outlet where a pale had +been broken down, and, bolting forth upon an adjoining common, had not +run far before their course was stopped by that of a gentle brook which +glided across the way they intended to take. This was so grievous a +disappointment, that they were not able to bear it; and they determined +rather to throw themselves headlong into the water, let what would +become of it, than lead a life so full of dangers and crosses. But, upon +their coming to the brink of the river, a parcel of Frogs, which were +sitting there, frighted at their approach, leaped into the stream in +great confusion, and dived to the very bottom for fear: which a cunning +old Puss observing, called to the rest and said, 'Hold, have a care what +ye do: here are other creatures, I perceive, which have their fears as +well as us: don't then let us fancy ourselves the most miserable of any +upon earth; but rather, by their example, learn to bear patiently those +inconveniences which our nature has thrown upon us.' + + +APPLICATION. + +This fable is designed to show us how unreasonable many people are for +living in such continual fears and disquiets about the miserableness of +their condition. There is hardly any state of life great enough to +satisfy the wishes of an ambitious man; and scarce any so mean but may +supply all the necessities of him that is moderate. But if people will +be so unwise as to work themselves up to imaginary misfortunes, why do +they grumble at nature and their stars, when their own perverse minds +are only to blame? If we are to conclude ourselves unhappy by as many +degrees as there are others greater than we, why then the greatest part +of mankind must be miserable, in some degree at least. But, if they who +repine at their own afflicted condition, would but reckon up how many +more there are with whom they would not change cases, than whose +pleasures they envy, they would certainly rise up better satisfied from +such a calculation. But what shall we say to those who have a way of +creating themselves panics from the rustling of the wind, the scratching +of a Rat or Mouse behind the hangings, the fluttering of a Moth, or the +motion of their own shadow by moonlight? Their whole life is as full of +alarms as that of a Hare, and they never think themselves so happy as +when, like the timorous folks in the fable, they meet with a set of +creatures as fearful as themselves. + + + + +FABLE XLII. + +[Illustration: THE FOX AND THE WOLF.] + + +The Wolf having laid in store of provision, kept close at home, and made +much of himself. The Fox observed this, and thinking it something +particular, went to visit him, the better to inform himself of the truth +of the matter. The Wolf excused himself from seeing him, by pretending +he was very much indisposed. All this did but confirm the Fox in his +suspicions: so away he goes to a shepherd, and made discovery of the +Wolf; telling him, he had nothing else to do but to come with a good +weapon and knock him on the head as he lay in his cave. The shepherd +followed his directions, and killed the Wolf. The wicked Fox enjoyed the +cave and provisions to himself, but enjoyed them not long; for the same +shepherd passing afterwards by the same hole, and seeing the Fox there, +dispatched him also. + + +APPLICATION. + +This fable seems to be directed against the odious trade of informing. +Not that giving information against criminals and enemies of the public +is in itself odious, for it is commendable; but the circumstances and +manner of doing it oftentimes make it a vile and detestable employment. +He that accuses another merely for the sake of the promised reward, or +in hopes of getting his forfeited estate, or with any other such +mercenary view, nay, even to save his own life, whatever he gets by the +bargain, is sure to lose his reputation: for, indeed, the most innocent +company is not safe with such a one in it, nor the neighbourhood secure +in which he lives. A villain of his stamp, whose only end is getting, +will as soon betray the innocent as the guilty: let him but know where +there is a suspected person, and propose the reward, and he will scarce +fail to work the suspicion up to high-treason, or be at a loss to give +sufficient proofs of it. We have no small comfort concerning this sort +of people, when we consider how improbable it is that they should thrive +or prosper long in their ill-gotten possessions. For he that can betray +another for the sake of a little pelf, must be a man of such bad +principles, that it cannot be for the interest of any community to +suffer him to live long in it. Besides, he himself will not be +contented with one single villany; and there is no fear but he will +provoke justice to hurl down upon his head at least as great a calamity +as he, by his malicious information, has brought upon another. + + + + +FABLE XLIII. + +[Illustration: THE DOG AND THE SHEEP.] + + +The Dog sued the Sheep for a debt, of which the Kite and the Wolf were +to be judges. They, without debating long upon the matter, or making any +scruple for want of evidence, gave sentence for the plaintiff; who +immediately tore the poor Sheep in pieces, and divided the spoil with +the unjust judges. + + +APPLICATION. + +Deplorable are the times when open barefaced villany is protected and +encouraged, when innocence is obnoxious, honesty contemptible, and it is +reckoned criminal to espouse the cause of virtue. Men originally entered +into covenants and civil compacts with each other for the promotion of +their happiness and well-being, for the establishment of justice and +public peace. How comes it then that they look stupidly on, and tamely +acquiesce, when wicked men pervert this end, and establish an arbitrary +tyranny of their own upon the foundation of fraud and oppression? Among +beasts, who are incapable of being civilized by social laws, it is no +strange thing to see innocent helpless Sheep fall a prey to Dogs, +Wolves, and Kites: but it is amazing how mankind could ever sink down to +such a low degree of base cowardice, as to suffer some of the worst of +their species to usurp a power over them, to supersede the righteous +laws of good government, and to exercise all kinds of injustice and +hardship, in gratifying their own vicious lusts. Wherever such +enormities are practised, it is when a few rapacious statesmen combine +together to get and secure the power in their own hands, and agree to +divide the spoil among themselves. For as long as the cause is to be +tried only among themselves, no question but they will always vouch for +each other. But, at the same time, it is hard to determine which +resemble brutes most, they in acting, or the people in suffering them to +act, their vile selfish schemes. + + + + +FABLE XLIV. + +[Illustration: THE PEACOCK AND THE CRANE.] + + +The Peacock and the Crane by chance met together in the same place. The +Peacock erecting his tail, displayed his gaudy plumes, and looked with +contempt upon the Crane, as some mean ordinary person. The Crane, +resolving to mortify his insolence, took occasion to say, that Peacocks +were very fine birds indeed, if fine feathers could make them so; but +that he thought it a much nobler thing to be able to rise above the +clouds, than to strut about upon the ground, and be gazed at by +children. + + +APPLICATION. + +It is very absurd to slight or insult another upon his wanting a +property which we possess; for he may, for any thing we know, have as +just reason to triumph over us, by being master of some good quality of +which we are incapable. But, in regard to the fable before us, that +which the Peacock values himself upon, the glitter and finery of dress, +is one of the most trifling considerations in nature; and what a man of +sense would be ashamed to reckon even as the least part of merit. +Indeed, children, and those people who think much about the same pitch +with them, are apt to be taken with varnish and tinsel: but they who +examine by the scale of common sense must find something of weight and +substance, before they can be persuaded to set a value. The mind which +is stored with virtuous and rational sentiments, and the behaviour which +speaks complacence and humility, stamps an estimate upon the possessor, +which all judicious spectators are ready to admire and acknowledge. But +if there be any merit in an embroidered coat, a brocade waistcoat, a +shoe, a stocking, or a sword-knot, the person who wears them has the +least claim to it; let it be ascribed where it justly belongs--to the +several artizans who wrought and disposed the materials of which they +consist. This moral is not intended to derogate any thing from the +magnificence of fine clothes and rich equipages, which, as times and +circumstances require, may be used with decency and propriety enough: +but one cannot help being concerned, lest any worth should be affixed to +them more than their own intrinsic value. + + + + +FABLE XLV. + +[Illustration: THE VIPER AND THE FILE.] + + +A Viper entering a smith's shop, looked up and down for something to +eat; and seeing a File, fell to gnawing it as greedily as could be. The +File told him, very gruffly, that he had best be quiet and let him +alone; for he would get very little by nibbling at one who, upon +occasion, could bite iron and steel. + + +APPLICATION. + +By this fable we are cautioned to consider what any person is, before we +make an attack upon him after any manner whatsoever: particularly how we +let our tongues slip in censuring the actions of those who are, in the +opinion of the world, not only of an unquestioned reputation, so that +nobody will believe what we insinuate against them; but of such an +influence, upon account of their own veracity, that the least word from +them would ruin our credit to all intents and purposes. If wit be the +case, and we have a satirical vein, which at certain periods must have a +flow, let us be cautious at whom we level it; for if the person's +understanding be of better proof than our own, all our ingenious +sallies, like liquor squirted against the wind, will recoil back upon +our own faces, and make us the ridicule of every spectator. This fable, +besides, is not an improper emblem of envy; which, rather than not bite +at all, will fall foul where it can hurt nothing but itself. + + + + +FABLE XLVI. + +[Illustration: THE ASS, THE LION, AND THE COCK.] + + +An Ass and a Cock happened to be feeding together in the same place, +when on a sudden they spied a Lion approaching them. This beast is +reported, above all things, to have an aversion, or rather antipathy, to +the crowing of a Cock; so that he no sooner heard the voice of that +bird, but he betook him to his heels, and run away as fast as ever he +could. The Ass fancying he fled for fear of him, in the bravery of his +heart, pursued him, and followed him so far, that they were quite out of +the hearing of the Cock; which the Lion no sooner perceived, but he +turned about and seized the Ass; and just as he was ready to tear him to +pieces, the sluggish creature is said to have expressed himself +thus:--'Alas! fool that I was, knowing the cowardice of my own nature, +thus, by an affected courage, to throw myself into the jaws of death, +when I might have remained secure and unmolested!' + + +APPLICATION. + +There are many who, out of an ambition to appear considerable, affect to +show themselves men of fire, spirit, and courage: but these being +qualities, of which they are not the right owners, they generally expose +themselves, and show the little title they have to them, by endeavouring +to exert and produce them at unseasonable times, or with improper +persons. A bully, for fear you should find him out to be a coward, +overacts his part, and calls you to account for affronts which a man of +true bravery would never have thought of: and a cowardly silly fellow, +observing that he may take some liberties with impunity, where perhaps +the place or the company protect him, falsely concludes from thence, +that the person with whom he made free is a greater coward than himself; +so that he not only continues his offensive raillery and impertinence +for the present, but probably renews them in some place not so +privileged as the former, where his insolence meets with a due +chastisement; than which nothing is more equitable in itself, or +agreeable to the discreet part of mankind. + + + + +FABLE XLVII. + +[Illustration: THE JACKDAW AND PEACOCKS.] + + +A certain Jackdaw was so proud and ambitious, that, not contented to +live within his own sphere, he picked up the feathers which fell from +the Peacocks, stuck them in among his own, and very confidently +introduced himself into an assembly of those beautiful birds. They soon +found him out, stripped him of his borrowed plumes, and, falling upon +him with their sharp bills, punished him as his presumption deserved. +Upon this, full of grief and affliction, he returned to his old +companions, and would have flocked with them again; but they, knowing +his late life and conversation, industriously avoided him, and refused +to admit him into their company: and of them, at the same time, gave him +this serious reproof--'If, friend, you could have been contented with +our station, and had not disdained the rank in which Nature had placed +you, you had not been used so scurvily by those upon whom you intruded +yourself, nor suffered the notorious slight which now we think ourselves +obliged to put upon you.' + + +APPLICATION. + +What we may learn from this fable is, in the main, to live contentedly +in our own condition, whatever it be, without affecting to look bigger +than we are, by a false or borrowed light. To be barely pleased with +appearing above what a man really is, is bad enough; and what may justly +render him contemptible in the eyes of his equals: but if, to enable him +to do this with something of a better grace, he has clandestinely +feathered his nest with his neighbour's goods, when found out, he has +nothing to expect but to be stripped of his plunder, and used like a +felonious rogue into the bargain. + + + + +FABLE XLVIII. + +[Illustration: THE ANT AND THE FLY.] + + +One day there happened some words between the Ant and the Fly about +precedency, and the point was argued with great warmth and eagerness on +both sides. Says the Fly, 'It is well known what my pretensions are, and +how justly they are grounded: there is never a sacrifice that is offered +but I always taste of the entrails, even before the gods themselves. I +have one of the uppermost seats at church, and frequent the altar as +often as any body: I have a free admission at court; and can never want +the king's ear, for I sometimes sit upon his shoulder. There is not a +maid of honour, or handsome young creature, comes in my way, but, if I +like her, I settle betwixt her balmy lips, and then I eat and drink the +best of every thing, without having any occasion to work for my living. +What is there that such country pusses as you enjoy, to be compared with +a life like this?'--The Ant, who by this time had composed herself, +replied with a great deal of temper, and no less severity--'Indeed, to +be a guest at an entertainment of the gods, is a very great honour, if +one is invited; but I should not care to be a disagreeable intruder any +where. You talk of the king and the court, and the fine ladies there, +with great familiarity; but, as I have been getting in my harvest in +summer, I have seen a certain person under the town walls, making a +hearty meal upon something that is not so proper to be mentioned. As to +your frequenting the altars, you are in the right to take sanctuary +where you are like to meet with the least disturbance: but I have known +people before now run to altars, and call it devotion, when they have +been shut out of all good company, and had no where else to go. You do +not work for your living, you say,--true: therefore, when you have +played away the summer, and winter comes, you have nothing to live upon; +and, while you are starving with cold and hunger, I have a good warm +house over my head, and plenty of provisions about me.' + + +APPLICATION. + +This fable points out to us the different characters of those that +recommend themselves in a vain-glorious way by false and borrowed +lights; and of those whose real merit procures them a good esteem +wherever they go. Poverty and folly having, at the same time, +possession of any one man, cannot fail of making him an object of pity, +if not of contempt; but, when an empty conceited pride happens to be +joined with them, they render the creature in whom they meet at the same +time despicable and ridiculous. One who often attends at court, not +because he has a place, but because he has not, should not value himself +upon his condition. They who go to church out of vanity and curiosity, +and not for pure devotion, should not value themselves upon their +religion, for it is not worth a straw. They who eat at a threepenny +ordinary, and sometimes not so well, should not boast either of their +dinner or company. In short, nobody is a better gentleman, than he whose +own honest industry supplies him with a plenty of all necessaries; who +is so well acquainted with honour, as never to say or do a mean and +unjust thing; and who despises an idle scoundrel, but knows how to +esteem men of his own principles. Such a one is a person of the first +quality, though he has never a title, and ought to take place of every +man who is not so good as himself. + + + + +FABLE XLIX. + +[Illustration: THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER.] + + +In the winter season, a commonwealth of Ants was busily employed in the +management and preservation of their corn; which they exposed to the air +in heaps round about the avenues of their little country habitation. A +Grasshopper, who had chanced to outlive the summer, and was ready to +starve with cold and hunger, approached them with great humility, and +begged that they would relieve his necessity, with one grain of wheat or +rye. One of the Ants asked him, how he had disposed of his time in +summer, that he had not taken pains, and laid in a stock, as they had +done?--'Alas, gentlemen,' says he, 'I passed away the time merrily and +pleasantly, in drinking, singing, and dancing, and never once thought +of winter.'--'If that be the case,' replied the Ant, laughing, 'all I +have to say is, that they who drink, sing, and dance in the summer, must +starve in winter.' + + +APPLICATION. + +As summer is the season of the year in which the industrious and +laborious husbandman gathers and lays up such fruits as may supply his +necessities in winter, so youth and manhood are the times of life which +we should employ and bestow in laying in such a stock of all kind of +necessaries as may suffice for the craving demands of helpless old age. +Yet, notwithstanding the truth of this, there are many of those which we +call rational creatures, who live in a method quite opposite to it, and +make it their business to squander away, in a profuse prodigality, +whatever they get in their younger days: as if the infirmity of age +would require no supplies to support it; or, at least, would find them +administered to in some miraculous way. From this fable we learn this +admirable lesson, never to lose any present opportunity of providing +against the future evils and accidents of life. While health and the +flower and vigour of our age remain firm and entire, let us lay them out +to the best advantage, that, when the latter days take hold of us, and +spoil us of our strength and abilities, we may have a store moderately +sufficient to subsist upon, which we laid up in the morning of our age. + + + + +FABLE L. + +[Illustration: THE COUNTRYMAN AND THE SNAKE.] + + +A villager, in a frosty, snowy winter, found a snake under a hedge, +almost dead with cold. He could not help having compassion for the poor +creature, so brought it home, and laid it upon the hearth near the fire; +but it had not lain there long, before (being revived with the heat) it +began to erect itself, and fly at his wife and children, filling the +whole cottage with dreadful hissings. The Countryman hearing an outcry, +and perceiving what the matter was, catched up a mattock, and soon +dispatched him; upbraiding him at the same time in these words--'Is +this, vile wretch, the reward you make to him that saved your life? Die, +as you deserve; but a single death is too good for you.' + + +APPLICATION. + +It is the nature of ingrates to return evil for good: and the moralists, +in all ages, have incessantly declaimed against the enormity of this +crime, concluding, that they who are capable of hurting their +benefactors, are not fit to live in a community; being such, as the +natural ties of parent, friend, or country, are too weak to restrain +within the bounds of society. Indeed, the sin of ingratitude is so +detestable, that as none but the most inhuman temper can be guilty of +it, so, in writing to men, there is no occasion to use many words, +either in exposing the vice itself, or dissuading people from the +commission of it. Therefore it is not likely that a person of AEsop's +sagacity would have compiled this fable, without having something else +in view besides this trite and obvious subject. He certainly intended to +put us in mind that, as none but a poor silly clown would go to take up +a Snake and cherish it, so we shall be very negligent and ill-advised +if, in doing good offices, we do not take care to bestow our benevolence +upon proper objects. It was not at all unnatural in the Snake to hiss, +and brandish his tongue, and fly at the first that came near him; as +soon at the person that saved his life as any other; indeed, more +likely, because nobody else had so much to do with him. Nor is it +strange at any time to see a reprobate fool throwing his poisonous +language about, and committing his extravagancies against those, more +especially, who are so inadvertent as to concern themselves with him. +The Snake and the reprobate will not appear extraordinary in their +malevolence: but the sensible part of mankind cannot help thinking those +guilty of great indiscretion, who receive either of them into their +protection. + + + + +FABLE LI. + +[Illustration: THE FOX AND THE SICK LION.] + + +It was reported that the Lion was sick, and the beasts were made to +believe that they could not make their court better than by going to +visit him. Upon this they generally went; but it was particularly taken +notice of, that the Fox was not one of the number. The Lion therefore +dispatched one of his Jackals to sound him about it, and ask him why he +had so little charity and respect, as never to come near him, at a time +when he lay so dangerously ill, and every body else had been to see +him?--'Why,' replies the Fox, 'pray present my duty to his majesty, and +tell him, that I have the same respect for him as ever, and have been +coming several times to kiss his royal hand: but I am so terribly +frightened at the mouth of his cave, to see the print of my +fellow-subjects feet all pointing forwards and none backwards, that I +have not resolution enough to venture in.' Now the truth of the matter +was, that this sickness of the Lion's was only a sham to draw the beasts +into his den, the more easily to devour them. + + +APPLICATION. + +A man should weigh and consider the nature of any proposal well before +he gives into it; for a rash and hasty compliance has been the ruin of +many a one. And it is the quintessence of prudence not to be too easy of +belief. Indeed the multitude think altogether in the same track, and are +much upon a footing. Their meditations are confined in one channel, and +they follow one another, very orderly, in a regular stupidity. Can a man +of thought and spirit be harnessed thus, and trudge along like a +pack-horse, in a deep, stinking, muddy road, when he may frisk it over +the beauteous lawns, or lose himself agreeably in the shady verdant +mazes of unrestrained contemplation? It is impossible. Vulgar notions +are so generally attended with error, that wherever one traces the +footsteps of the many, tending all one way, it is enough to make one +suspect, with the Fox in the fable, that there is some trick in it. The +eye of reason is dulled and stupified when it is confined, and made to +gaze continually upon the same thing: it rather chooses to look about +it, and amuse itself with variety of objects, as they lie scattered up +and down in the unbounded prospect. He that goes implicitly into a +thing, may be mistaken, notwithstanding the number of those who keep him +company; but he that keeps out till he sees reason to enter, acts upon +true maxims of policy and prudence. In short, it becomes us, as we are +reasonable creatures, to behave ourselves as such, and to do as few +things as possible, of which we may have occasion to repent. + + + + +FABLE LII. + +[Illustration: THE WANTON CALF.] + + +A Calf, full of play and wantonness, seeing the Ox at plough, could not +forbear insulting him. 'What a sorry poor drudge art thou,' says he, 'to +bear that heavy yoke upon your neck, and go all day drawing a plough at +your tail, to turn up the ground for your master! but you are a wretched +dull slave, and know no better, or else you would not do it. See what a +happy life I lead: I go just where I please; sometimes I lie down under +the cool shade; sometimes frisk about in the open sunshine; and, when I +please, slake my thirst in the clear sweet brook; but you, if you were +to perish, have not so much as a little dirty water to refresh you.' The +Ox, not at all moved with what he said, went quietly and calmly on with +his work; and, in the evening, was unyoked and turned loose. Soon after +which he saw the Calf taken out of the field, and delivered into the +hands of a priest, who immediately led him to the altar, and prepared to +sacrifice him. His head was hung round with fillets of flowers, and the +fatal knife was just going to be applied to his throat, when the Ox drew +near, and whispered him to this purpose--'Behold the end of your +insolence and arrogance; it was for this only you were suffered to live +at all; and pray now, friend, whose condition is best, yours or mine?' + + +APPLICATION. + +To insult people in distress is the property of a cruel, indiscreet, and +giddy temper; for, as the proceedings of fortune are very irregular and +uncertain, we may, the next turn of the wheel, be thrown down to their +condition, and they exalted to ours. We are likewise given to understand +by this fable what the consequence of an idle life generally is, and how +well satisfied laborious diligent men are, in the end, when they come +quietly to enjoy the fruits of their industry. They who by little tricks +and sharpings, or by open violence and robbery, live in a high expensive +way, often in their hearts, at least, despise the poor honest man who is +contented with the virtuous product of his daily labour, and patiently +submits to his destiny. But how often is the poor man comforted, by +seeing these wanton villains led in triumph to the altar of justice, +while he has many a cheerful summer's morning to enjoy abroad, and many +a long winter's evening to indulge himself in at home, by a quiet +hearth, and under an unenvied roof: blessings which often attend a sober +industrious man, though the idle and the profligate are utter strangers +to them. Luxury and intemperance, besides their being certain to shorten +a man's days, are very apt not only to engage people with their seeming +charms into a debauched life, utterly prejudicial to their health, but +to make them have a contempt for others, whose good sense and true taste +of happiness inspire them with an aversion to idleness and effiminacy, +and put them upon hardening their constitution by innocent exercise and +laudable employment. How many do gluttony and sloth tumble into an +untimely grave! while the temperate and the active drink sober draughts +of life, and spin out their thread to the most desirable length. + + + + +FABLE LIII. + +[Illustration: HERCULES AND THE CARTER.] + + +As a clownish Fellow was driving his cart along a deep miry lane, the +wheels stuck so fast in the clay, that the horses could not draw them +out. Upon this, he fell a bawling and praying to Hercules to come and +help him. Hercules, looking down from a cloud, bid him not lie there, +like an idle rascal as he was, but get up and whip his horses stoutly, +and clap his shoulder to the wheel; adding, that this was the only way +for him to obtain his assistance. + + +APPLICATION. + +This fable shows us how vain and ill-grounded the expectations of those +people are who imagine they can obtain whatever they want by +importuning heaven with their prayers; for it is so agreeable to the +nature of the Divine Being to be better pleased with virtuous actions +and an honest industry than idle prayers, that it is a sort of blasphemy +to say otherwise. These were the sentiments of honest good heathens, who +were strangers to all revealed religion: but it is not strange that they +should embrace and propagate such a notion, since it is no other than +the dictate of common reason. What is both strange in itself, and +surprising how it could be made so fashionable, is, that most of those +whose reason should be enlightened by revelation, are very apt to be +guilty of this stupidity, and, by praying often for the comforts of +life, to neglect that business which is the proper means of procuring +them. How such a mistaken devotion came to prevail one cannot imagine, +unless from one of these two motives; either that people, by such a veil +of hypocrisy, would pass themselves upon mankind for better than they +really are, or are influenced by unskilful preachers (which is +sometimes, indeed too often, the case) to mind the world as little as +possible, even to the neglect of their necessary callings. No question +but it is a great sin for a man to fail in his trade or occupation by +running often to prayers; it being a demonstration in itself, though the +Scripture had never said it, that we please God most when we are doing +the most good: and how can we do more good than, by a sober honest +industry, 'to provide for those of our own household,' and to endeavour +'to have to give to him that needeth?' The man who is virtuously and +honestly engaged, is actually serving God all the while, and is more +likely to have his silent wishes, accompanied with strenuous endeavours, +complied with by the Supreme Being, than he who begs with a fruitless +vehemence, and solicits with an empty hand: a hand which would be more +religious were it usefully employed, and more devout were it stretched +forth to do good to those that want it. + + + + +FABLE LIV. + +[Illustration: THE BELLY AND THE MEMBERS.] + + +In former days, when the Belly and the other parts of the body enjoyed +the faculty of speech, and had separate views and designs of their own, +each part, it seems, in particular for himself, and in the name of the +whole, took exception at the conduct of the Belly, and were resolved to +grant him supplies no longer. They said they thought it very hard that +he should lead an idle good-for-nothing life, spending and squandering +away, upon his own ungodly guts, all the fruits of their labour; and +that, in short, they were resolved for the future, to strike off his +allowance, and let him shift for himself as well as he could. The Hands +protested they would not lift up a finger to keep him from starving; +and the Mouth wished he might never speak again if he took in the least +bit of nourishment for him as long as he lived; and, say the Teeth, may +we be rotten if ever we chew a morsel for him for the future. This +solemn league and covenant was kept as long as any thing of that kind +can be kept, which was until each of the rebel members pined away to the +skin and bone, and could hold out no longer. Then they found there was +no doing without the Belly, and that, as idle and insignificant as he +seemed, he contributed as much to the maintenance and welfare of all the +other parts as they did to his. + + +APPLICATION. + +This fable was spoken by Menenius Agrippa, a famous Roman consul and +general, when he was deputed by the senate to appease a dangerous tumult +and insurrection of the people. The many wars that nation was engaged +in, and the frequent supplies they were obliged to raise, had so soured +and inflamed the minds of the populace, that they were resolved to +endure it no longer, and obstinately refused to pay the taxes which were +levied upon them. It is easy to discern how the great man applied this +fable. For, if the branches and members of a community refuse the +government that aid which its necessities require, the whole must perish +together. The rulers of a state, as idle and insignificant as they may +sometimes seem, are yet as necessary to be kept up and maintained in a +proper and decent grandeur, as the family of each private person is in a +condition suitable to itself. Every man's enjoyment of that little which +he gains by his daily labour, depends upon the government's being +maintained in a condition to defend and secure him in it. + + + + +FABLE LV. + +[Illustration: THE HORSE AND THE LION.] + + +A Lion seeing a fine plump Nag, had a great mind to eat a bit of him, +but knew not which way to get him into his power. At last he bethought +himself of this contrivance: he gave out that he was a physician, who, +having gained experience by his travels into foreign countries, had made +himself capable of curing any sort of malady or distemper incident to +any kind of beast, hoping by this stratagem to get an easier admittance +among cattle, and find an opportunity to execute his design. The Horse, +who smoked the matter, was resolved to be even with him; and, so +humouring the thing, as if he suspected nothing, he prayed the Lion to +give him his advice in relation to a thorn he had got in his foot, which +had quite lamed him, and gave him great pain and uneasiness. The Lion +readily agreed and desired he might see the foot. Upon which the Horse +lifted up one of his hind legs, and, while the Lion pretended to be +poring earnestly upon his hoof, gave him such a kick in the face as +quite stunned him, and left him sprawling upon the ground. In the mean +time the Horse trotted away, neighing and laughing merrily at the +success of the trick, by which he had defeated the purpose of one who +intended to have tricked him out of his life. + + +APPLICATION. + +Though all manner of fraud and tricking is mean, and utterly beneath a +man of sense and honour, yet, methinks, equity itself allows us to +disappoint the deceiver, and to repel craft by cunning. Treachery has +something so wicked and worthy of punishment in its nature, that it +deserves to meet with a return of its own kind: an open revenge would be +too liberal for it, and nothing matches it but itself. However, +therefore, abominable it is to be the aggressor in this point, yet it +cannot be inconsistent with virtue to counterplot and to take all manner +of advantage against the man who is undermining us. + + + + +FABLE LVI. + +[Illustration: THE HUSBANDMAN AND THE STORK.] + + +The Husbandman pitched a net in his fields to take the Cranes and Geese +which came to feed upon the new-sown corn. Accordingly he took several, +both Cranes and Geese; and among them a Stork, who pleaded hard for his +life, and, among other apologies which he made, alleged, that he was +neither Goose nor Crane, but a poor harmless Stork, who performed his +duty to his parents to all intents and purposes, feeding them when they +were old, and, as occasion required, carrying them from place to place +upon his back.--'All this may be true,' replies the Husbandman; 'but, as +I have taken you in bad company, and in the same crime, you must expect +to suffer the same punishment.' + + +APPLICATION. + +If bad company had nothing else to make us shun and avoid it, this, +methinks, might be sufficient, that it infects and taints a man's +reputation, to as great a degree as if he were thoroughly versed in the +wickedness of the whole gang. What is it to me if the thief who robs me +of my money gives part of it to build a church? Is he ever the less a +thief? Shall a woman's going to prayers twice a day save her reputation, +if she is known to be a malicious lying gossip? No, such mixtures of +religion and sin make the offence but the more flagrant, as they +convince us that it was not committed out of ignorance. Indeed, there is +no living without being guilty of some faults, more or less; which the +world ought to be good-natured enough to overlook, in consideration of +the general frailty of mankind, when they are not too gross and too +abundant: but when we are so abandoned to stupidity, and a neglect of +our reputation, as to keep bad company, however little we may be +criminal in reality, we must expect the same censure and punishment as +is due to the most notorious of our companions. + + + + +FABLE LVII. + +[Illustration: THE CAT AND THE COCK.] + + +The Cat, having a mind to make a meal of the Cock, seized him one +morning by surprise, and asked him what he could say for himself why +slaughter should not pass upon him?--The Cock replied, that he was +serviceable to mankind by crowing in the morning, and calling them up to +their daily labour.--'That is true,' says the Cat, 'and is the very +objection that I have against you; for you make such a shrill +impertinent noise, that people cannot sleep for you. Besides you are an +incestuous rascal, and make no scruple of lying with your mother and +sisters.'--'Well,' says the Cock, 'this I do not deny; but I do it to +procure eggs and chickens for my master.'--'Ah! villain,' says the Cat, +'hold your wicked tongue; such impieties as these declare that you are +no longer fit to live.' + + +APPLICATION. + +When a wicked man in power has a mind to glut his appetite in any +respect, innocence, or even merit, is no protection against him. The +cries of justice and the voice of reason are of no effect upon a +conscience hardened in iniquity, and a mind versed in a long practice of +wrong and robbery. Remonstrances, however reasonably urged, or movingly +couched, have no more influence upon the heart of such a one, than the +gentle evening breeze has upon the oak when it whispers among its +branches, or the rising surges upon the deaf rock when they dash and +break against its sides. Power should never be trusted in the hands of +an impious selfish man, and one that has more regard to the +gratification of his own unbounded avarice than to public peace and +justice. Were it not for the tacit consent and heartless compliance of a +great majority of fools, mankind would not be ridden, as oftentimes they +are, by a little majority of knaves, to their great misfortune: for, +whatever people may think of the times, if they were ten times worse +than they are, it is principally owing to their own stupidity. Why do +they trust the man a moment longer who has once injured and betrayed +them? + + + + +FABLE LVIII. + +[Illustration: THE LEOPARD AND THE FOX.] + + +The Leopard one day took it into his head to value himself upon the +great variety and beauty of his spots, and truly he saw no reason why +even the Lion should take place of him, since he could not show so +beautiful a skin. As for the rest of the wild beasts of the forest, he +treated them all, without distinction, in the most haughty disdainful +manner. But the Fox being among them, went up to him with a great deal +of spirit and resolution, and told him, that he was mistaken in the +value he was pleased to set upon himself; since people of judgment were +not used to form their opinion of merit from an outside appearance, but +by considering the good qualities and endowments with which the mind was +stored within. + + +APPLICATION. + +How much more heavenly and powerful would beauty prove, if it were not +so frequently impaired by the affectation and conceitedness of its +possessor! If some women were but as modest and unassuming as they are +handsome, they might command the hearts of all that behold them: but +Nature seemed to foresee, and has provided against such an +inconvenience, by tempering its great master-pieces with a due +proportion of pride and vanity; so that their power, depending upon the +duration of their beauty only, is like to be but of a short continuance; +which, when they happen to prove tyrants, is no small comfort to us; and +then, even while it lasts, will abate much of its severity by the allay +of those two prevailing ingredients. Wise men are chiefly captivated +with the charms of the mind; and whenever they are infatuated with a +passion for any thing else, it is generally observed that they cease, +during that time at least, to be what they were, and are indeed looked +upon to be only playing the fool. If the fair ones we have been speaking +of have a true ascendant over them, they will oblige them to divest +themselves of common sense, and to talk and act ridiculously, before +they can think them worthy of the least regard. Should one of these fine +creatures be addressed in the words of Juba, + + 'Tis not a set of features, or complexion, + The tincture of a skin, that I admire. + Beauty soon grows familiar to the lover, + Fades in his eye, and palls upon the sense. + The virtuous Marcia towers above her sex. + True, she is fair; oh, how divinely fair! + But still the lovely maid improves her charms + With inward greatness, unaffected wisdom, + And sanctity of manners.---- + +The man that should venture the success of a strong passion upon the +construction she would put upon such a compliment, might have reason to +repent of his conduct. + + + + +FABLE LIX. + +[Illustration: THE SHEPHERD'S BOY.] + + +A certain Shepherd's Boy kept his Sheep upon a common, and, in sport and +wantonness, would often cry out, The Wolf! The Wolf! By this means he +several times drew the Husbandmen, in an adjoining field, from their +work; who, finding themselves deluded, resolved for the future to take +no notice of his alarm. Soon after the Wolf came indeed. The Boy cried +out in earnest: but no heed being given to his cries, the Sheep were +devoured by the Wolf. + + +APPLICATION. + +He that is detected for being a notorious liar, besides the ignominy and +reproach of the thing, incurs this mischief, that he will scarce be able +to get any one to believe him again as long as he lives. However true +our complaint may be, or how much soever it may be for our interest to +have it believed, yet, if we have been frequently caught tripping +before, we shall hardly be able to gain credit to what we relate +afterwards. Though mankind are generally stupid enough to be often +imposed upon, yet few are so senseless as to believe a notorious liar, +or to trust a cheat upon record. These little shams, when found out, are +sufficiently prejudicial to the interest of every private person who +practises them. But, when we are alarmed with imaginary dangers in +respect of the public, till the cry grows quite stale and threadbare, +how can it be expected we should know when to guard ourselves against +real ones. + + + + +FABLE LX. + +[Illustration: THE FOX AND THE GOAT.] + + +A Fox, having tumbled by chance into a Well, had been casting about a +long while, to no purpose, how he should get out again; when at last a +Goat came to the place, and, wanting to drink, asked Reynard whether the +water was good. 'Good!' says he; 'ay, so sweet, that I am afraid I have +surfeited myself, I have drank so abundantly.' The Goat upon this, +without any more ado, leaped in; and the Fox, taking the advantage of +his horns, by the assistance of them as nimbly leaped out, leaving the +poor Goat at the bottom of the Well to shift for himself. + + +APPLICATION. + +The doctrine taught us by this fable is no more than this, that we ought +to consider who it is that advises us before we follow the advice: for, +however plausible the counsel may seem, if the person that gives it is a +crafty knave, we may be assured that he intends to serve himself in it +more than us, if not to erect something to his own advantage out of our +ruin. + +The little, poor, country attorney, ready to perish, and sunk to the +lowest depth of poverty for want of employment, by such arts as these +draws the esquire, his neighbour, into the gulf of the law; till, laying +hold on the branches of his revenue, he lifts himself out of obscurity, +and leaves the other immured in the bottom of a mortgage. + + + + +FABLE LXI. + +[Illustration: CUPID AND DEATH.] + + +Cupid, one sultry summer's noon, tired with play, and faint with heat, +went into a cool grotto to repose himself, which happened to be the cave +of Death. He threw himself carelessly down on the floor, and his quiver +turning topsy-turvy, all the arrows fell out, and mingled with those of +Death, which lay scattered up and down the place. When he awoke, he +gathered them up as well as he could; but they were so intermingled +that, though he knew the certain number, he could not rightly +distinguish them; from which it happened that he took up some of the +arrows which belonged to Death, and left several of his own in the room +of them. This is the cause that we, now and then, see the hearts of the +old and decrepit transfixed with the bolts of Love; and with equal grief +and surprise behold the youthful blooming part of our species smitten +with the darts of Death. + + +APPLICATION. + +If we allow for this fable's being written by a heathen, and according +to the scheme of the ancient pagan theology, it will appear to be a +pretty probable solution of some parts of the dispensation of +Providence, which otherwise seem to be obscure and unaccountable. For, +when we see the young and the old fall promiscuously by the hand of +Death, and at the same time consider that the world is governed by an +all-wise Providence, we are puzzled how to account for so seemingly +preposterous and unnatural a way of working. We should look upon a +gardener to be mad, or at least very capricious, who, when his young +trees are just arrived to a degree of bearing, should cut them down for +fuel, and choose out old, rotten, decayed, sapless stocks to graft and +inoculate upon: yet the irregular proceedings of those two levellers, +Love and Death, appear to be every jot as odd and unreasonable. However, +we must take it for granted that these things, though the method of them +is hidden from our eyes, are transacted after the most just and fit +manner imaginable: but, humanly speaking, it is strange that Death +should be suffered to make such undistinguished havoc in the world; and, +at the same time, just as shocking and unnatural to see old age laid +betwixt a pair of wedding sheets, as it is for youth and beauty to be +locked up in the cold embraces of the grave. + + + + +FABLE LXII. + +[Illustration: THE OLD MAN AND HIS SONS.] + + +An Old Man had many Sons, who were often falling out with one another. +When the Father had exerted his authority, and used other means in order +to reconcile them, and all to no purpose, at last he had recourse to +this expedient: he ordered his Sons to be called before him, and a short +bundle of sticks to be brought; and then commanded them, one by one, to +try if, with all their might and strength, they could any of them break +it. They all tried, but to no purpose; for the sticks being closely and +compactly bound up together, it was impossible for the force of man to +do it. After this the Father ordered the bundle to be untied, and gave a +single stick to each of his Sons; at the same time bidding him try to +break it: which, when each did with all imaginable ease, the Father +addressed himself to them to this effect--'O my Sons, behold the power +of unity! For if you, in like manner, would but keep yourselves strictly +conjoined in the bonds of friendship, it would not be in the power of +any mortal to hurt you; but when once the ties of brotherly affection +are dissolved, how soon do you fall to pieces, and are liable to be +violated by every injurious hand that assaults you!' + + +APPLICATION. + +Nothing is more necessary towards completing and continuing the +well-being of mankind, than their entering into and preserving +friendships and alliances. The safety of a government depends chiefly +upon this; and therefore it is weakened and exposed to its enemies, in +proportion as it is divided by parties. "A kingdom divided against +itself, is brought to desolation:" and the same holds good among all +societies and corporations of men, from the constitution of the nation +down to every little parochial vestry. But the necessity of friendship +extends itself to all sorts of relations in life, as it conduces +mightily to the advantage of particular clans and families. Those of the +same blood and lineage have a natural disposition to unite together, +which they ought by all means to cultivate and improve. It must be a +great comfort to people, when they fall under any calamity, to know +there are many others who sympathize with them; a great load of grief is +mightily lessened, when it is parcelled out into many shares. And then +joy, of all our passions, loves to be communicative, and generally +increases in proportion to the number of those who partake of it with +us. We defy the threats and malice of an enemy, when we are assured that +he cannot attack us single, but must encounter a bundle of allies at the +same time. But they that behave themselves so as to have few or no +friends in the world, live in perpetual fear and jealousy of mankind, +because they are sensible of their own weakness, and know themselves +liable to be crushed, or broken to pieces, by the first aggressor. + + + + +FABLE LXIII. + +[Illustration: THE STAG AND THE FAWN.] + + +A Stag, grown old and mischievous, was, according to custom, stamping +with his foot, making offers with his head, and bellowing so terribly, +that the whole herd quaked for fear of him: when one of the little Fawns +coming up, addressed him to this purpose--'Pray, what is the reason that +you, who are so stout and formidable at all other times, if you do but +hear the cry of the hounds, are ready to fly out of your skin for +fear?'--'What you observe is true,' replied the Stag, 'though I know not +how to account for it: I am indeed vigorous, and able enough, I think, +to make my party good any where, and often resolve with myself, that +nothing shall ever dismay my courage for the future; but, alas! I no +sooner hear the voice of a hound but all my spirits fail me, and I +cannot help making off as fast as ever my legs can carry me.' + + +APPLICATION. + +This is the case of many a cowardly bully in the world. He is disposed +to be imperious and tyrannical, and to insult his companions, and takes +all opportunities of acting according to his inclination; but yet is +cautious where he makes his haunts, and takes care to have to do only +with a herd of rascally people, as vile and mean as himself. A man of +courage quashes him with a word; and he who has threatened death in +every sentence, for a twelvemonth together, to those whom he knew it +would affright, at the very frown of an intrepid man has leaped out of a +window. It is no unpleasant sight to be present when any of these +gentlemen happen to be disarmed of their terror before the face of their +humble admirers: there is a strange boisterous struggle betwixt fear, +shame, and revenge, which blinds them with confusion; and, though they +would fain exert a little courage, and show themselves men, yet, they +know not how; there is something within which will not suffer them to do +it. The predominance of nature will show itself, upon occasion, in its +true colours, through all the disguises which artful men endeavour to +throw over it. Cowardice, particularly, gives us but the more suspicion +when it would conceal itself under an affected fierceness; as they who +would smother an ill smell by a cloud of perfume, are imagined to be +but the more offensive. When we have done all, Nature will remain what +she was, and show herself whenever she is called upon; therefore +whatever we do in contradiction to her laws, is so forced and affected, +that it must needs expose and make us ridiculous. We talk nonsense when +we would argue against it: like Teague, who being asked why he fled from +his colours, said, his heart was as good as any in the regiment; but +protested his cowardly legs would run away with him whatever he could +do. + + + + +FABLE LXIV. + +[Illustration: THE OLD HOUND.] + + +An Old Hound, who had been an excellent good one in his time, and given +his master great sport and satisfaction in many a chase, at last, by the +effect of years, became feeble and unserviceable. However, being in the +field one day, when the stag was almost run down, he happened to be the +first that came in with him, and seized him by one of his haunches; but, +his decayed and broken teeth not being able to keep their hold, the deer +escaped, and threw him quite out. Upon which his master, being in a +great passion, and going to strike him, the honest old creature is said +to have barked out his apology--'Ah! do not strike your poor old +servant; it is not my heart and inclination, but my strength and speed, +that fail me. If what I now am displeases, pray don't forget what I have +been.' + + +APPLICATION. + +This fable may serve to give us a general view of the ingratitude of +the greatest part of mankind. Notwithstanding all the civility and +complaisance that is used among people where there is a common +intercourse of business, yet let the main spring, the probability of +their being serviceable to each other, either in point of pleasure or +profit, be but once broken, and farewell courtesy: so far from +continuing any regard in behalf of past favours, it is very well if they +forbear doing any thing that is injurious. If the master had only ceased +to caress and make much of the Old Hound, when he was past doing any +service, it had not been very strange; but to treat a poor creature ill, +not for a failure of inclination, but merely a defect of nature, must, +notwithstanding the crowd of examples there are to countenance it, be +pronounced inhuman and unreasonable. + +There are two accounts upon which people that have been useful are +frequently neglected. One, when they are so decayed, either through age +or some accident, that they are no longer able to do the services they +have formerly done; the other, when the occasion or emergency which +required such talents no longer exists. Phaedrus, who more than once +complains of the bad consequences of age, makes no other application to +this fable than by telling his friend Philetus, with some regret, that +he wrote it with such a view; having, it seems, been repaid with +neglect, or worse usage, for services done in his youth to those who +were then able to afford him a better recompense. + + + + +FABLE LXV. + +[Illustration: JUPITER AND THE CAMEL.] + + +The Camel presented a petition to Jupiter, complaining of the hardship +of his case in not having, like bulls and other creatures, horns, or any +weapons of defence, to protect himself from the attacks of his enemies, +and praying that relief might be given him in such manner as might be +thought most expedient. Jupiter could not help smiling at the +impertinent address of the great silly beast, but, however, rejected the +petition; and told him that, so far from granting his unreasonable +request, henceforward he would take care his ears should be shortened, +as a punishment for his presumptuous importunity. + + +APPLICATION. + +The nature of things is so fixed in every particular, that they are very +weak superstitious people who dream it is to be altered. But, besides +the impossibility of producing a change by addresses of this nature, +they who employ much of their time upon such accounts, instead of +getting, are sure to lose in the end. When any man is so frivolous and +vexatious as to make unreasonable complaints, and to harbour undue +repinings in his heart, his peevishness will lessen the real good which +he possesses, and the sourness of his temper shorten that allowance of +comfort which he already thinks too scanty. Thus, in truth, it is not +Providence, but ourselves who punish our own importunity in soliciting +for impossibilities, with a sharp corroding care, which abridges us of +some part of that little pleasure which Providence has cast into our +lot. + + + + +FABLE LXVI. + +[Illustration: THE FOX WITHOUT A TAIL.] + + +A Fox, being caught in a steel trap by his tail, was glad to compound +for his escape with the loss of it; but, upon coming abroad into the +world, began to be so sensible of the disgrace such a defect would bring +upon him, that he almost wished he had died rather than left it behind +him. However, to make the best of a bad matter, he formed a project in +his head to call an assembly of the rest of the Foxes, and propose it +for their imitation, as a fashion which would be very agreeable and +becoming. He did so, and made a long harangue upon the unprofitableness +of tails in general, and endeavoured chiefly to show the awkwardness and +inconvenience of a Fox's tail in particular: adding, that it would be +both more graceful and more expeditious to be altogether without them; +and that, for his part, what he had only imagined and conjectured +before, he now found by experience; for that he never enjoyed himself so +well, and found himself so easy as he had done since he cut off his +tail. He said no more, but looked about with a brisk air, to see what +proselytes he had gained; when a sly old thief in the company, who +understood trap, answered him with a leer--'I believe you may have found +a conveniency in parting with your tail, and when we are in the same +circumstances, perhaps we may do so too.' + + +APPLICATION. + +If men were but generally as prudent as Foxes, they would not suffer so +many silly fashions to obtain as are daily brought in vogue, for which +scarce any reason can be assigned besides the humour of some conceited +vain creature; unless, which is full as bad, they are intended to +palliate some defect in the person that introduces them. The petticoat +of a whole sex has been sometimes swelled to such a prodigious extent, +to screen an enormity of which only one of them has been guilty. And it +is no wonder that Alexander the Great could bring a wry-neck into +fashion, in a nation of slaves, when we consider what power of this +nature some little, insignificant, dapper fellows have had among a free +people. + + + + +FABLE LXVII. + +[Illustration: THE FOX AND THE CROW.] + + +A Crow having taken a piece of cheese out of a cottage window, flew up +into a high tree with it, in order to eat it; which a Fox observing, +came and sat underneath, and began to compliment the Crow upon the +subject of her beauty. 'I protest,' says he, 'I never observed it +before, but your feathers are of a more delicate white than any that +ever I saw in my life! Ah; what a fine shape and graceful turn of body +is there! And I make no question but you have a tolerable voice. If it +is but as fine as your complexion, I do not know a bird that can pretend +to stand in competition with you.' The Crow, tickled with this very +civil language, nestled and riggled about, and hardly knew where she +was; but thinking the Fox a little dubious as to the particular of her +voice, and having a mind to set him right in that matter, began to sing, +and in the same instant let the cheese drop out of her mouth. This being +what the Fox wanted, he chopped it up in a moment, and trotted away, +laughing to himself at the easy credulity of the Crow. + + +APPLICATION. + +They that love flattery (as it is to be feared too many do) are in a +fair way to repent of their foible in the long run. And yet how few are +there among the whole race of mankind who may be said to be full proof +against its attacks! The gross way by which it is managed by some silly +practitioners, is enough to alarm the dullest apprehension, and make it +to value itself upon the quickness of its insight into the little plots +of this nature: but let the ambuscade be disposed with due judgment, and +it will scarce fail of seizing the most guarded heart. How many are +tickled to the last degree with the pleasure of flattery, even while +they are applauded for their honest detestation of it! There is no way +to baffle the force of this engine but by every one's examining, +impartially for himself, the true estimate of his own qualities: if he +deals sincerely in the matter, nobody can tell so well as himself what +degree of esteem ought to attend any of his actions, and therefore he +should be entirely easy as to the opinion men are like to have of them +in the world. If they attribute more to him than is his due, they are +either designing or mistaken: if they allow him less, they are envious, +or, possibly, still mistaken; and, in either case, are to be despised or +disregarded. For he that flatters, without designing to take advantage +of it, is a fool; and whoever encourages that flattery which he has +sense enough to see through, is a vain coxcomb. + + + + +FABLE LXVIII. + +[Illustration: THE HAWK AND THE FARMER.] + + +A Hawk, pursuing a Pigeon over a corn-field with great eagerness and +force, threw himself into a net which a husbandman had planted there to +take the Crows; who being employed not far off, and seeing the Hawk +fluttering in the net, came and took him: but, just as he was going to +kill him, the Hawk besought him to let him go, assuring him that he was +only following a Pigeon, and neither intended nor had done any harm to +him. To whom the Farmer replied--'And what harm had the poor Pigeon done +to you?' Upon which he wrung his head off immediately. + + +APPLICATION. + +Passion, prejudice, or power, may so far blind a man as not to suffer +him justly to distinguish whether he is not acting injuriously at the +same time that he fancies he is only doing his duty. Now the best way +of being convinced, whether what we do is reasonable and fit, is to put +ourselves in the place of the persons with whom we are concerned, and +then consult our conscience about the rectitude of our behaviour. For +this we may be assured of, that we are acting wrong whenever we are +doing any thing to another which we should think unjust if it was done +to us. Nothing but an habitual inadvertency, as to this particular, can +be the occasion that so many ingenious noble spirits are often engaged +in courses so opposite to virtue and honour. He that would startle, if a +little attorney should tamper with him to forswear himself, to bring off +some small offender, some ordinary trespasser, will, without scruple, +infringe the constitution of his country for the precarious prospect of +a place or a pension. Which is most corrupt, he that lies, like a knight +of the post, for half-a-crown and a dinner, or he that does it for the +more substantial consideration of a thousand pounds a year? Which would +be doing most service to the public, giving true testimony in a cause +between two private men, and against one little common thief who has +stolen a gold watch; or voting honestly and courageously against a rogue +of state, who has gagged and bound the laws, and stripped the nation? +Let those who intend to act justly, but view things in this light, and +all would be well. There would be no danger of their oppressing others, +or fear of being oppressed themselves. + + + + +FABLE LXIX. + +[Illustration: THE NURSE AND THE WOLF.] + + +A nurse, who was endeavouring to quiet a froward bawling child, among +other attempts, threatened to throw it out of doors to the Wolf, if it +did not leave off crying. A Wolf, who chanced to be prowling near the +door, just at that time, heard the expression, and believing the woman +to be in earnest, waited a long while about the house, in expectation of +seeing her words made good. But at last the child, wearied with its own +importunities, fell asleep, and the poor Wolf was forced to return back +to the woods empty and supperless. The Fox meeting him, and surprised to +see him going home so thin and disconsolate, asked him what the matter +was, and how he came to speed no better that night?--'Ah! do not ask +me,' says he; 'I was so silly as to believe what the Nurse said, and +have been disappointed.' + + +APPLICATION. + +All the moralists have agreed to interpret this fable as a caution to us +never to trust a woman. What reasons they could have for giving so rough +and uncourtly a precept, is not easy to be imagined: for, however fickle +and unstable some women may be, it is well known there are several who +have a greater regard for truth, in what they assert or promise, than +most men. There is not room, in so short a compass, to express a due +concern for the honour of the ladies upon this occasion, nor to show how +much one is disposed to vindicate them: and, though there is nothing bad +which can be said to them but may with equal justice be averred of the +other sex, yet one would not venture to give them quite so absolute a +precaution as the old mythologists have affixed to this fable; but only +to advise them to consider well and thoroughly of the matter before they +trust any man living. + + + + +FABLE LXX. + +[Illustration: THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE.] + + +A Hare insulted a tortoise upon account of his slowness, and vainly +boasted of her own great speed in running.--'Let us make a match,' +replied the Tortoise; 'I will run with you five miles for five pounds, +and the Fox yonder shall be the umpire of the race.' The Hare agreed; +and away they both started together. But the Hare, by reason of her +exceeding swiftness, outran the Tortoise to such a degree, that she made +a jest of the matter; and, finding herself a little tired, squatted in a +tuft of fern that grew by the way, and took a nap; thinking that, if the +Tortoise went by, she could at any time fetch him up with all the ease +imaginable. In the meanwhile the Tortoise came jogging on with slow but +continued motion; and the Hare, out of a too great security and +confidence of victory, oversleeping herself, the Tortoise arrived at the +end of the race first. + + +APPLICATION. + +Industry and application to business makes amends for the want of a +quick and ready wit. Hence it is, that the victory is not always to the +strong, nor the race to the swift. Men of fine parts are apt to despise +the drudgery of business; but, by affecting to show the superiority of +their genius, upon many occasions, they run into too great an extreme +the other way; and the administration of their affairs is ruined through +idleness and neglect. What advantage has a man from the fertility of his +invention, and the vivacity of his imagination, unless his resolutions +are executed with a suitable and uninterrupted rapidity? In short, your +men of wit and fire, as they are called, are oftentimes sots, slovens, +and lazy fellows: they are generally proud and conceited to the last +degree; and, in the main, not the fittest persons for either +conversation or business. Such is their vanity, they think the +sprightliness of their humour inconsistent with a plain sober way of +thinking and speaking, and able to atone for all the little neglects of +their business and persons. But the world will not be thus imposed upon; +the man who would gain the esteem of others, and make his own fortune, +must be one that carries his point effectually, and finishes his course +without swerving or loitering. Men of dull parts, and a slow +apprehension, assisted by a continued diligence, are more likely to +attain this than your brisk retailers of wit, with their affected spleen +and indolence. And if business be but well done, no matter whether it be +done by the sallies of a refined wit, or the considering head of a plain +plodding man. + + + + +FABLE LXXI. + +[Illustration: THE YOUNG MAN AND HIS CAT.] + + +A certain Young Man used to play with a Cat, of which he grew so fond, +that at last he fell in love with it, and to such a degree, that he +could rest neither night nor day for the excess of his passion. At last +he prayed to Venus, the goddess of beauty, to pity him, and relieve his +pain. The good-natured goddess was propitious, and heard his prayers: +before he rose up from kneeling, the Cat, which he held in his arms, was +transformed into a beautiful girl. The Youth was transported with joy, +and married her that very day. At night they went to bed, and as the new +bride lay encircled in the embraces of her amorous husband, she +unfortunately heard a Mouse behind the hangings, and sprung from his +arms to pursue it. Venus, offended to see her sacred rites profaned by +such an indecent behaviour, and perceiving that her new convert, though +a woman in outward appearance, was a Cat in her heart, she made her +return to her old form again, that her manners and person might be +agreeable to each other. + + +APPLICATION. + +People, as to their manners and behaviour, take a strong bias from +custom and education, but a much stronger from Nature. Her laws are so +strong, that it is in vain for us to go to oppose them; we may refine +and improve, but can never totally alter her works. Upon this account it +is that we oftentimes see silly awkward blockheads displaying their +idiotism and folly through all their ensigns of dignity; for some +natures are so coarse and rustic, that all the embroidery of a court +cannot conceal them. Doubtless such people were intended by Nature for +nothing above driving Hogs to a fair, and laughing at the jokes of a +country Merry Andrew. Fortune has found them worthy of her favours, and +given them a lift out of the mire: but yet they do not fail to give +frequent indications of their true composition, by a thousand little +dirty actions. A fine equipage, and a great estate, may raise a man to +an exalted station, and procure a respect to his outward person; +notwithstanding which it may so happen, that every time he speaks and +acts he cannot help playing the fool for the blood of him. + + + + +FABLE LXXII. + +[Illustration: THE ASS IN THE LION'S SKIN.] + + +An Ass finding the skin of a Lion, put it on; and, going into the woods +and pastures, threw all the flocks and herds into a terrible +consternation. At last, meeting his owner, he would have frightened him +also; but the good man, seeing his long ears slick out, presently knew +him, and with a good cudgel made him sensible that, notwithstanding his +being dressed in a Lion's Skin, he was really no more than an Ass. + + +APPLICATION. + +As all affectation is wrong, and tends to expose and make a man +ridiculous, so the more distant he is from the thing which he affects to +appear, the stronger will the ridicule be which he excites, and the +greater the inconveniences into which he runs himself thereby. How +strangely absurd it is for a timorous person to procure a military post +in order to keep himself out of danger! and to fancy a red coat the +surest protection for cowardice! yet there have been those who have +purchased a commission to avoid being insulted; and have been so silly +as to think courage was interwoven with a sash, or tied up in a cockade. +But it would not be amiss for such gentlemen to consider, that it is not +in the power of scarlet cloth to alter nature; and that, as it is +expected a soldier should show himself a man of courage and intrepidity +upon all proper occasions, they may, by this means, meet the disgrace +they intended to avoid, and appear greater asses than they need to have +done. However, it is not in point of fortitude only that people are +liable to expose themselves, by assuming a character to which they are +not equal; but he who puts on a show of learning, of religion, of a +superior capacity in any respect, or, in short, of any virtue or +knowledge to which he has no proper claim, is, and will always be found +to be, "An Ass in a Lion's Skin." + + + + +FABLE LXXIII. + +[Illustration: THE MOUNTAINS IN LABOUR.] + + +The Mountains were said to be in labour, and uttered most dreadful +groans. People came together far and near to see what birth would be +produced; and, after they wailed a considerable time in expectation, out +crept a Mouse. + + +APPLICATION. + +Great cry and little wool is the English proverb; the sense of which +bears an exact proportion to this fable; by which are exposed all those +who promise something exceeding great, but come off with a production +ridiculously little. Projectors of all kinds, who endeavour by +artificial rumours to raise the expectations of mankind, and then by +their mean performances defeat and disappoint them, have, time out of +mind, been lashed with the recital of this fable. How agreeably +surprising is it to see an unpromising favourite, whom the caprice of +fortune has placed at the helm of state, serving the commonwealth with +justice and integrity, instead of smothering and embezzling the public +treasure to his own private and wicked ends! and, on the contrary, how +melancholy, how dreadful, or rather, how exasperating and provoking a +sight is it to behold one, whose constant declarations for liberty and +the public good have raised people's expectations of him to the highest +pitch, as soon as he is got into power exerting his whole art and +cunning to ruin and enslave his country! The sanguine hopes of all those +that wished well to virtue, and flattered themselves with a reformation +of every thing that opposed the well-being of the community, vanish away +in smoke, and are lost in a dark, gloomy, uncomfortable prospect. + + + + +FABLE LXXIV. + +[Illustration: THE SATYR AND THE TRAVELLER.] + + +A Satyr, as he was ranging the forest in an exceeding cold snowy season, +met with a Traveller, half-starved with the extremity of the weather. He +took compassion on him, and kindly invited him home to a warm +comfortable cave he had in the hollow of a rock. As soon as they had +entered and sat down, notwithstanding there was a good fire in the +place, the chilly Traveller could not forbear blowing his fingers' ends. +Upon the Satyr's asking him why he did so, he answered, that he did it +to warm his hands. The honest sylvan having seen little of the world, +admired a man who was master of so valuable a quality as that of blowing +heat, and therefore was resolved to entertain him in the best manner he +could. He spread the table before him with dried fruits of several +sorts; and produced a remnant of cold cordial wine, which, as the rigour +of the season made very proper, he mulled with some warm spices, infused +over the fire, and presented to his shivering guest. But this the +Traveller thought fit to blow likewise; and, upon the Satyr's demanding +a reason why he blowed again, he replied, to cool his dish. This second +answer provoked the Satyr's indignation as much as the first had kindled +his surprise: so, taking the man by the shoulder, he thrust him out of +doors, saying, he would have nothing to do with a wretch who had so vile +a quality as to blow hot and cold with the same mouth. + + +APPLICATION. + +Though the poor Traveller in the fable was not guilty of any real crime +in what he did, yet one cannot help approving the honest simplicity of +the Satyr, who could not be reconciled to such double dealing. In the +moral sense of the fable, nothing can be more offensive to one of a +sincere heart, than he that blows with a different breath from the same +mouth; who flatters a man to his face, and reviles him behind his back. +Some again, just like this man, to serve a present view, will blow +nothing but what is warm, benevolent, and cherishing; and, when they +have raised the expectations of a dependent to a degree which they think +may prove troublesome, can, with putting on a cold air, easily chill and +blast all his blooming hopes. But such a temper, whether it proceeds +from a designed or natural levity, is detestable, and has been the cause +of much trouble and mortification to many a brave deserving man. Unless +the tenor of a man's life be always true and consistent with itself, the +less one has to do with him the better. + + + + +FABLE LXXV. + +[Illustration: THE SICK KITE.] + + +A Kite had been sick a long time, and finding there were no hopes of +recovery, begged of his mother to go to all the churches and religious +houses in the country, to try what prayers and promises would effect in +his behalf. The old Kite replied--'Indeed, dear son, I would willingly +undertake any thing to save your life, but I have great reason to +despair of doing you any service in the way you propose: for, with what +face can I ask any thing of the gods in favour of one whose whole life +has been a continual scene of rapine and injustice, and who has not +scrupled, upon occasion, to rob the very altars themselves?' + + +APPLICATION. + +The rehearsal of this fable almost unavoidably draws our attention to +that very serious and important point, the consideration of a death-bed +repentance. And, to expose the absurdity of relying upon such a weak +foundation, we need only ask the same question with the Kite in the +fable: how can he that has offended the gods all his life-time, by doing +acts of dishonour and injustice, expect that they should be pleased with +him at last, for no other reason but because he fears he shall not be +able to offend them any longer? when, in truth, such a repentance can +signify nothing but a confirmation of his former impudence and folly: +for sure no stupidity can exceed that of the man who expects a future +judgment, and yet can bear to commit any piece of injustice with a sense +and deliberation of the fact. + + + + +FABLE LXXVI. + +[Illustration: THE HAWK AND THE NIGHTINGALE.] + + +A Nightingale, sitting all alone among the shady branches of an oak, +sung with so melodious and shrill a pipe, that she made the woods echo +again, and alarmed a hungry Hawk, who was at some distance off watching +for his prey; he had no sooner discovered the little musician, but, +making a stoop at the place, he seized her with his crooked talons, and +bid her prepare for death.--'Ah!' says she, 'for mercy's sake don't do +so barbarous a thing, and so unbecoming yourself; consider, I never did +you any wrong, and am but a poor small morsel for such a stomach as +yours; rather attack some larger fowl, which may bring you more credit +and a better meal, and let me go.'--'Aye!' says the Hawk, 'persuade me +to it if you can: I have been upon the watch all day long, and have not +met with one bit of any thing till I caught you; and now you would have +me let you go, in hopes of something better, would you? Pray, who would +be the fool then?' + + +APPLICATION. + +They who neglect the opportunity of reaping a small advantage, in hopes +they shall obtain a better, are far from acting upon a reasonable and +well-advised foundation. The figure of Time is always drawn with a +single lock of hair hanging over his forehead, and the back part of his +head bald; to put us in mind that we should be sure to lay hold of an +occasion, when it presents itself to us, lest afterwards we repent us of +our omission and folly, and would recover it when it is too late. It is +a very weak reason to give for our refusal of an offer of kindness, that +we do it because we desire or deserve a better; for it is time enough to +relinquish the small affair when the great one comes, if ever it does +come. But, supposing it should not, how can we forgive ourselves for +letting any thing slip through our hands, by vainly gaping after +something else, which we never could obtain? He who has not been guilty +of any of these kind of errors, however poorly he may come off at last, +has only the malice of fortune, or of somebody else, to charge with his +ill success; and may applaud himself with some comfort, in never having +lost an opportunity, though ever so small, of bettering and improving +his circumstances. Unthinking people have oftentimes the unhappiness to +fret and tease themselves with retrospects of this kind, which they, who +attend to the business of life as they ought, never have occasion to +make. + + + + +FABLE LXXVII. + +[Illustration: THE PEACOCK'S COMPLAINT.] + + +The Peacock presented a memorial to Juno, importing how hardly he +thought he was used in not having so good a voice as the Nightingale; +how that pretty animal was agreeable to every ear that heard it, while +he was laughed at for his ugly screaming noise, if he did but open his +mouth. The goddess, concerned at the uneasiness of her favourite bird, +answered him very kindly to this purpose: 'If the Nightingale is blest +with a fine voice, you have the advantage in point of beauty and +largeness of person.'--'Ah!' says he, 'but what avails my silent +unmeaning beauty, when I am so far excelled in voice!'--The goddess +dismissed him, bidding him consider, that the properties of every +creature were appointed by the decree of fate: to him beauty; strength +to the Eagle; to the Nightingale a voice of melody; the faculty of +speech to the Parrot; and to the Dove innocence. That each of these was +contented with his own peculiar quality; and unless he had a mind to be +miserable, he must learn to be so too. + + +APPLICATION. + +Since all things, as Juno says, are fixed by the eternal and unalterable +decree of fate, how absurd it is to hear people complaining and +tormenting themselves for that which it is impossible ever to obtain! +They who are ambitious of having more good qualities, since that is +impracticable, should spare for no pains to cultivate and recommend +those they have; which a sourness and peevishness of temper, instead of +improving, will certainly lessen and impair, whether they are of the +mind or body. If we had all the desirable properties in the world, we +could be no more than easy and contented with them; and if a man, by a +right way of thinking, can reconcile himself to his own condition, +whatever it be, he will fall little short of the most complete state +that mortals ever enjoyed. + + + + +FABLE LXXVIII. + +[Illustration: THE ANGLER AND THE LITTLE FISH.] + + +A man was angling in a river, and caught a small Perch; which, as he was +taking off the hook and going to put into his basket, opened its mouth, +and began to implore his pity, begging that he would throw it into the +river again. Upon the man's demanding what reason he had to expect such +a favour?--'Why,' says the Fish, 'because, at present, I am but young +and little, and consequently not so well worth your while as I shall be +if you take me some time hence, when I am grown larger.'--'That may be,' +replies the man, 'but I am not one of those fools who quit a certainty, +in expectation of an uncertainty.' + + +APPLICATION. + +This fable points much the same way as the seventy-sixth, so that one +moral may very well serve for both. But the lesson they teach is so +useful and instructive, that a repetition of it is by no means +superfluous. The precept which they would instil into us is, never to +let slip the present opportunity, but to secure to ourselves every +little advantage, just in the nick that it offers, without a vain +reliance upon, and fruitless expectation of, something better in time to +come. We may cheer up our spirits with hoping for that which we cannot +at present obtain; but at the same time let us be sure we give no +occasion of condemning ourselves for omitting any thing which it was in +our power to secure. + + + + +FABLE LXXIX. + +[Illustration: THE GEESE AND THE CRANES.] + + +A flock of Geese and a parcel of Cranes used often to feed together in a +corn field. At last the owner of the corn, with his servants, coming +upon them of a sudden, surprised them in the very fact; and the geese, +being heavy, fat, full-bodied creatures, were most of them sufferers; +but the Cranes, being thin and light, easily flew away. + + +APPLICATION. + +When the enemy comes to make a seizure, they are sure to suffer most +whose circumstances are the richest and fattest. In any case of +persecution, money hangs like a dead weight about a man; and we never +feel gold so heavy as when we endeavour to make off with it. Therefore +wise and politic ministers of state, whenever they see a storm begin to +gather over their heads, always take care to unlade themselves of a good +part of their cargo; and, by this means, seldom find but the blasts of +obloquy, through which they are to make their way, are less deaf and +inexorable than the stormy waves of the ocean. Indeed, poverty is too +frequently the occasion of mens' being treated as if they were guilty of +the greatest crimes and reproaches; but then these sort of criminals +have this advantage, that no one thinks fit to treat them with any thing +worse than contempt: whereas if any pretence can be found to fall upon +the man who is rich, it is a miracle if he escapes with both life and +money. In short, riches are like the baggage of an army: very useful +while we lie in quiet possession of the camp, or are powerful enough to +defy the enemy; but when once we are put to the rout, if we would get +off with our lives or liberties, we must quit our baggage as soon as +possible, and leave it for plunder to our pursuers. Nay, however +strongly intrenched we may think ourselves, as long as money is in the +case, it is good to look about us for fear of a surprise: for, after +all, he that does not, upon occasion, make himself wings with his riches +to fly off with, deserves to be punished, like a Goose as he is, for his +heaviness. + + + + +FABLE LXXX. + +[Illustration: THE DOG AND THE SHADOW.] + + +A Dog, crossing a little rivulet with a piece of flesh in his mouth, saw +his own Shadow represented in the clear mirror of the limpid stream; +and, believing it to be another dog, who was carrying another piece of +flesh, he could not forbear catching at it; but was so far from getting +any thing his greedy design, that he dropped the piece he had in his +mouth, which immediately sunk to the bottom, and was irrecoverably lost. + + +APPLICATION. + +He that catches at more than belongs to him justly deserves to lose what +he has. Yet nothing is more common, and, at the same time, more +pernicious, than this selfish principle. It prevails from the king to +the peasant; and all orders and degrees of men are, more or less, +infected with it. Great monarchs have been drawn in, by this greedy +humour, to grasp at the dominions of their neighbours; not that they +wanted any thing more to feed their luxury, but to gratify their +insatiable appetite for vain-glory. If the kings of Persia could have +been contented with their own vast territories, they had not lost all +Asia for the sake of a little petty state of Greece. And France, with +all its glory, has, ere now, been reduced to the last extremity by the +same unjust encroachments. + +He that thinks he sees another's estate in a pack of cards, or a box and +dice, and ventures his own in the pursuit of it, should not repine if he +finds himself a beggar in the end. + + + + +FABLE LXXXI. + +[Illustration: THE ASS AND THE LITTLE DOG.] + + +The Ass observing how great a favourite the Little Dog was with his +master, how much caressed and fondled, and fed with good bits at every +meal; and for no other reason, as he could perceive, but skipping and +frisking about, wagging his tail, and leaping up into his master's lap; +he was resolved to imitate the same, and see whether such a behaviour +would not procure him the same favours. Accordingly, the master was no +sooner come home from walking about his fields and gardens, and was +seated in his easy chair, but the Ass, who observed him, came gamboling +and braying towards him, in a very awkward manner. The master could not +help laughing aloud at the odd sight. But his jest was soon turned into +earnest, when he felt the rough salute of the Ass's fore-feet, who, +raising himself upon his hinder legs, pawed against his breast with a +most loving air, and would fain have jumped into his lap. The good man, +terrified at this outrageous behaviour, and unable to endure the weight +of so heavy a beast, cried out; upon which, one of his servants running +in with a good stick, and laying on heartily upon the bones of the poor +Ass, soon convinced him that every one who desires it is not qualified +to be a favourite. + + +APPLICATION. + +Some men are as engaging in their ways as little dogs. They can fawn, +wheedle, cringe, or, if occasion requires, leap backward and forward +over a stick, to the great emolument of their master, and entertainment +of those that behold them. But these are qualifications to which every +body cannot pretend; and therefore none but those who have a genius for +it should aspire at the employment. Many a man envies the happiness of +these favourites, and would fain insinuate himself into the same good +graces, if he did but know the way; but, whoever has a tolerable share +of discretion, will distrust his abilities in this respect, and modestly +forbear the attempt, for fear he should miscarry and look like an Ass. +But, in short, the true moral of this fable is, that every one should +consider the just turn and temper of his parts, and weigh the talents by +which he hopes to be distinguished. After such an examination, he may +the more certainly know how to apply them to the most proper purposes; +at least, so as not to hurt, or even mortify himself, by any mistaken +address. Since there is such a variety of tempers in the world, and a no +less multiplicity of arts and studies to fit and tally with them, how +reasonable is it in general, and how much would it be for the true +interest of every one in particular, if men would but be directed, by +the natural bent of their genius, to such pursuits as are most agreeable +to their capacities, and to the rudiments of education which they have +most strongly imbibed. + + + + +FABLE LXXXII. + +[Illustration: THE WOLF AND THE CRANE.] + + +A Wolf, after devouring his prey, happened to have a bone stick in his +throat, which gave him so much pain, that he went howling up and down, +and importuning every creature he met to lend him a kind hand, in order +to his relief; nay, he promised a reasonable reward to any one that +should undertake the operation with success. At last the Crane, tempted +with the lucre of the reward, and having first procured him to confirm +his promise with an oath, undertook the business, and ventured his long +neck into the rapacious felon's throat. In short, he plucked out the +bone, and expected the promised gratuity. When the Wolf, turning his +eyes disdainfully towards him, said,--'I did not think you had been so +unconscionable; I had your head in my mouth, and could have bit it off +whenever I pleased, but suffered you to take it away without any +damage, and yet you are not contented.' + + +APPLICATION. + +There is a sort of people in the world, to whom a man may be in the +wrong for doing services, upon a double score: first, because they never +deserved to have a good office done them; and, secondly, because, when +once engaged, it is so hard a matter to get well rid of their +acquaintance. + +This fable is not an example of ingratitude, as at first sight it seems +to be, and as some of the mythologists have understood it; to make it a +parallel in that case, the Crane ought to have been under some +difficulties in his turn, and the Wolf have refused to assist him when +it was in his power. The whole stress of it lies in this: that we ought +to consider what kind of people they are to whom we are desired to do +good offices, before we do them; for he that grants a favour, or even +confides in a person of no honour, instead of finding his account in it, +comes off well if he is no sufferer. + + + + +FABLE LXXXIII. + +[Illustration: THE ENVIOUS MAN AND THE COVETOUS.] + + +An Envious Man happened to be offering up his prayers to Jupiter just in +the time and place with a Covetous Miserable Fellow. Jupiter, not caring +to be troubled with their impertinences himself, sent Apollo to examine +the merits of their petitions, and to give them such relief as he should +think proper. Apollo therefore opened his commission, and withal told +them that, to make short of the matter, whatever the one asked the other +should have it double. Upon this, the Covetous Man, though he had a +thousand things to request, yet forbore to ask first, hoping to receive +a double quantity; for he concluded that all men's wishes sympathized +with his. By this means, the Envious Man had an opportunity of +preferring his petition first, which was the thing he aimed at; so, +without much hesitation, he prayed to be relieved, by having one of his +eyes put out: knowing that, of consequence, his companion would be +deprived of both. + + +APPLICATION. + +In this fable the folly of those two vices, Envy and Avarice, is fully +exposed, and handsomely rallied. The Miser, though he has the riches of +the world, without stint, laid open to his choice, yet dares not name +the sum, for fear another should be richer than himself. The advantage +of a double quantity, by receiving last, is what he cannot bear to lose, +and he fares accordingly. The Envious Man, though he has a power of +calling for good things, without measure, to himself or others, yet +waves this happy privilege, and is content to punish himself by a very +great loss, even that of an eye, that he may bring down a double portion +of the like calamity upon another. These are the true tempers of the +covetous and envious; one can scarce determine, whether they are more +mischievous to themselves, or to the public; but it is manifest, that +they are highly noxious to both, and should be treated accordingly. + + + + +FABLE LXXXIV. + +[Illustration: THE TWO POTS.] + + +An Earthen Pot, and one of Brass, standing together upon the river's +brink, were both carried away by the flowing-in of the tide. The Earthen +Pot showed some uneasiness, as fearing he should be broken; but his +companion of Brass bid him be under no apprehensions, for that he would +take care of him.--'O,' replies the other, 'keep as far off as ever you +can, I entreat you; it is you I am most afraid of: for, whether the +stream dashes you against me, or me against you, I am sure to be the +sufferer; and therefore, I beg of you, do not let us come near one +another.' + + +APPLICATION. + +A man of a moderate fortune, who is contented with what he has, and +finds he can live happily upon it, should take care not to hazard and +expose his felicity by consorting with the great and the powerful. +People of equal conditions may float down the current of life, without +hurting each other; but it is a point of some difficulty to steer one's +course in the company of the great, so as to escape without a bulge. One +would not choose to have one's little country-box situated in the +neighbourhood of a very great man; for whether I ignorantly trespass +upon him, or he knowingly encroaches upon me, I only am like to be the +sufferer. I can neither entertain nor play with him upon his own terms; +for that which is moderation and diversion to him, in me would be +extravagance and ruin. + + + + +FABLE LXXXV. + +[Illustration: THE FOX AND THE STORK.] + + +The Fox invited the Stork to dinner, and being disposed to divert +himself at the expense of his guest, provided nothing for the +entertainment but a soup, in a wide shallow dish. This himself could lap +up with a great deal of ease; but the Stork, who could but just dip in +the point of his bill, was not a bit the better all the while: however, +in a few days after, he returned the compliment, and invited the Fox; +but suffered nothing to be brought to table but some minced meat in a +glass jar, the neck of which was so deep, and so narrow, that, though +the Stork with his long bill made a shift to fill his belly, all that +the Fox, who was very hungry, could do, was to lick the brim, as the +Stork slabbered them with his eating. Reynard was heartily vexed at +first; but, when he came to take his leave, owned ingenuously, that he +had been used as he deserved; and that he had no reason to take any +treatment ill, of which himself had set the example. + + +APPLICATION. + +It is mighty imprudent, as well as inhuman and uncivil, to affront any +body; and whoever takes the liberty to exercise his witty talent that +way, must not think much of it if he meets reprisals. Indeed, if all +those who are thus paid in their own coin would take it with the same +frankness the Fox did, the matter would not be much; but we are too apt, +when the jest comes to be turned home upon ourselves, to think that +insufferable in another, which we looked upon as pretty and facetious +when the humour was our own. The rule of doing as we would be done by, +so proper to be our model in every transaction of life, may more +particularly be of use in this respect: because people seldom or never +receive any advantage by these little ludicrous impositions; and yet, if +they were to ask themselves the question, would find that another's +using them in the same manner would be very displeasing. + + + + +FABLE LXXXVI. + +[Illustration: THE BEAR AND THE BEE HIVES.] + + +A Bear, climbing over the fence into a place where Bees were kept, began +to plunder the Hives, and rob them of their honey. But the Bees, to +revenge the injury, attacked him in a whole swarm together; and, though +they were not able to pierce his rugged hide, yet, with their little +stings, they so annoyed his eyes and nostrils, that, unable to endure +the smarting pain, with impatience he tore the skin over his ears with +his own claws, and suffered ample punishment for the injury he did the +Bees in breaking open their waxen cells. + + +APPLICATION. + +Many and great are the injuries of which some men are guilty towards +others, for the sake of gratifying some liquorish appetite. For there +are those who would not stick at bringing desolation upon their country, +and run the hazard of their own necks into the bargain, rather than +baulk a wicked inclination, either of cruelty, ambition, or avarice. But +it were to be wished all who are hurried by such blind impulses, would +consider a moment before they proceed to irrevocable execution. Injuries +and wrongs not only call for revenge and reparation with the voice of +equity itself, but oftentimes carry their punishment along with them; +and, by an unforeseen train of events, are retorted at the head of the +actor of them; and not seldom, from a deep remorse, expiated upon +himself by his own hand. + + + + +FABLE LXXXVII. + +[Illustration: THE TRAVELLERS AND THE BEAR.] + + +Two men being to travel through a forest together, mutually promised to +stand by each other in any danger they should meet upon the way. They +had not gone far before a Bear came rushing towards them out of a +thicket; upon which one, being a light nimble fellow, got up into a +tree; the other falling flat upon his face, and holding his breath, lay +still while the Bear came up and smelled at him; but that creature, +supposing him to be a dead carcass, went back again into the wood, +without doing him the least harm. When all was over, the Spark who had +climbed the tree came down to his companion, and, with a pleasant smile, +asked him what the Bear said to him--'For,' says he, 'I took notice that +he clapt his mouth very close to your ear.'----'Why,' replies the +other, 'he charged me to take care, for the future, not to put any +confidence in such cowardly rascals as you.' + + +APPLICATION. + +Though nothing is more common than to hear people profess services of +friendship where there is no occasion for them, yet scarce any thing is +so hard to be found as a true friend, who will assist us in time of +danger and difficulty. All the declarations of kindness which are made +to an experienced man, though accompanied by a squeeze of the hand, and +a solemn asseveration, should leave no greater impression upon his mind +than the whistling of the hollow breeze which brushes one's ear with an +unmeaning salute, and is presently gone. He that succours our necessity +by a well-timed assistance, though it were not ushered in by previous +compliments, will ever after be looked upon as our friend and protector; +and, in so much a greater degree, as the favour was unasked and +unpromised; as it was not extorted by importunities on the one side, nor +led in by a numerous attendance of promises on the other. Words are +nothing till they are fulfilled by actions; and therefore we should not +suffer ourselves to be deluded by a vain hope and reliance upon them. + + + + +FABLE LXXXVIII. + +[Illustration: THE TRUMPETER TAKEN PRISONER.] + + +A trumpeter, being taken prisoner in a battle, begged hard for quarter, +declaring his innocence, and protesting that he neither had nor could +kill any man, bearing no arms but only his trumpet, which he was obliged +to sound at the word of command.--'For that reason,' replied his +enemies, 'we are determined not to spare you; for though you yourself +never fight, yet, with that wicked instrument of yours, you blow up +animosity between other people, and so become the occasion of much +bloodshed.' + + +APPLICATION. + +A man may be guilty of murder who has never handled a sword, or pulled a +trigger, or lifted up his arm with any mischievous weapon. There is a +little incendiary, called the tongue, which is more venomous than a +poisoned arrow, and more killing than a two-edged sword. The moral of +the fable therefore is this, that if in any civil insurrection the +persons taken in arms against the government deserve to die, much more +do they whose devilish tongues gave birth to the sedition, and excited +the tumult. When wicked priests, instead of preaching peace and charity, +employ that engine of scandal their tongue to foment rebellions, whether +they succeed in their designs or no, they ought to be severely punished; +for they have done what in them lay to set folks together by the ears; +they have blown the trumpet and sounded the alarm, and if thousands are +not destroyed by the sword, it is none of their fault. + + + + +FABLE LXXXIX. + +[Illustration: THE PARTRIDGE AND THE COCKS.] + + +A certain man, having taken a Partridge, plucked some of the feathers +out of its wings, and turned it into a little yard, where he kept game +Cocks. The Cocks, for awhile, made the poor bird lead a sad life, +continually pecking and driving it away from the meat. This treatment +was taken the more unkindly, because offered to a stranger; and the +Partridge could not but conclude them the most inhospitable uncivil +people he had ever met with. But at last, observing how frequently they +quarrelled and fought with each other, he comforted himself with this +reflection; that it was no wonder they were so cruel to him, since there +was so much bickering and animosity among themselves. + + +APPLICATION. + +This fable comes home to ourselves, we of this island having always been +looked upon as cruel to strangers. Whether there is any thing in the +manner of our situation, as an island, which consequently can be no +thoroughfare to other countries, and so is not made use of by strangers +upon that account, which makes us thus shy and uncivil; or, whether it +be a jealousy upon account of our liberties, which puts us upon being +suspicious of, and unwilling to harbour any that are not members of the +same community, perhaps it would not be easy to determine. But that it +is so in fact, is too notorious to be denied; and probably can be +accounted for no better way than from the natural bent of our temper, as +it proceeds from something peculiar to our air and climate. It has been +affirmed, that there is not in the whole world besides a breed of Cocks +and Dogs so fierce and incapable of yielding as that of ours; but that +either of them, carried into foreign countries, would degenerate in a +few years. Why may not the same be true of our men? But if strangers +find any inconvenience in this, there is a comfortable consideration to +balance it on the other side, which is, that there are no people under +the sun so much given to division and contention among themselves as we +are. Can a stranger think it hard to be looked upon with some shyness, +when he beholds how little we spare one another? Was ever any +foreigner, merely for being a foreigner, treated with half that malice +and bitterness which differing parties express towards each other? One +would willingly believe that this proceeds in the main, on both sides, +from a passionate concern for our liberties and well-being; for there is +nothing else which can so well excuse it. But it cannot be denied, that +our aversion, notwithstanding our being a trading nation, to have any +intercourse with strangers, is so great, that when we want other objects +for our churlishness, we raise them up among ourselves; and there is, +sometimes, as great a strangeness kept up between one county and another +here, as there is between two distinct kingdoms abroad. One cannot so +much wonder at the constant hostilities which are observed between the +inhabitants of South and North Britain, of Wales and Ireland, among one +another, when a Yorkshireman shall be looked upon as a foreigner by a +native of Norfolk, and both be taken for outlandish intruders by one +that happens to be born within the bills of mortality. + + + + +FABLE XC. + +[Illustration: THE FALCONER AND THE PARTRIDGE.] + + +A falconer having taken a Partridge in his net, the bird begged hard for +a reprieve, and promised the man, if he would let him go, to decoy other +Partridges into his net.--'No,' replies the Falconer, 'I was before +determined not to spare you, but now you have condemned yourself by your +own words: for he who is such a scoundrel as to offer to betray his +friends to save himself, deserves, if possible, worse than death.' + + +APPLICATION. + +However it may be convenient for us to like the treason, yet we must be +very destitute of honour not to hate and abominate the traitor. And +accordingly history furnishes us with many instances of kings and great +men who have punished the actors of treachery with death, though the +part they acted had been so conducive to their interests as to give them +a victory, or perhaps the quiet possession of a throne. Nor can princes +pursue a more just maxim than this; for a traitor is a villain of no +principles, that sticks at nothing to promote his own selfish ends; he +that betrays one cause for a great sum of money, will betray another +upon the same account; and therefore it must be very impolitic in a +state to suffer such wretches to live in it. Since then this maxim is so +good, and so likely at all times to be practised, what stupid rogues +must they be who undertake such precarious dirty work! If they miscarry, +it generally proves fatal to them from one side or other; if they +succeed, perhaps they may have the promised reward, but are sure to be +detested, if suffered to live, by the very person that employs them. + + + + +FABLE XCI. + +[Illustration: THE EAGLE AND THE CROW.] + + +An Eagle flew down from the top of a high rock, and settled upon the +back of a Lamb; and then instantly flying up into the air again, bore +his bleating prize aloft in his pounces. A Crow, who sat upon an elm, +and beheld this exploit, resolved to imitate it; so flying down upon the +back of a Ram, and entangling his claws in the wool, he fell a +chattering and attempting to fly; by which means he drew the observation +of the Shepherd upon him, who finding his feet hampered in the fleece of +the Ram, easily took him, and gave him to his boys for their sport and +diversion. + + +APPLICATION. + +Every quality which is excellent and commendable, is not, however, +always a proper object for our imitation. We ought to state our own +account honestly and fairly, that we may see what our abilities are, and +how our circumstances stand; otherwise we may not only become ridiculous +to others, but prejudicial to ourselves, by some awkward and ill-judged +emulation, though it happen to be in a qualification truly laudable and +great. It behoves every man to exert a good share of industry towards +the advancement of his interest, or, if he pleases, of his reputation. +But then it is highly necessary that he does this with a true regard to +his own capacity, and without any danger of exposing or embarrassing +himself in the operation. + + + + +FABLE XCII. + +[Illustration: THE LION, THE ASS, AND THE FOX.] + + +The Lion, the Ass, and the Fox went a hunting together in the forest; +and it was agreed, that whatever was taken should be divided amongst +them. They happened to have very good sport, and caught a large fat +Stag, which the Lion ordered the Ass to divide. The Ass, according to +the best of his capacity, did so, and made three pretty equal shares. +But such levelling doings not suiting at all with the craving temper of +the greedy Lion, without farther delay he flew upon the Ass, and tore +him in pieces; and then bid the Fox divide it into two parts. Reynard, +who seldom wanted a prompter, however, had his cue given him +sufficiently upon this occasion; and so nibbling off one little bit for +himself, he laid forth all the rest for the Lion's portion. The royal +brute was so delighted at this dutiful and handsome proof of his +respect, that he could not forbear expressing the satisfaction it gave +him; and asked him withal, where he could possibly have learned so +proper and so courtly a behaviour?--'Why,' replies Reynard, 'to tell +your majesty the truth, I was taught it by the Ass that lies dead +there.' + + +APPLICATION. + +We may learn a great deal of useful experience from the examples of +other people, if we will but take the pains to observe them. And, +besides the profit of the instructions, there is no small pleasure in +being taught any proper science at the expense of somebody else. To this +purpose, the history of former times, as well as the transactions of the +present, are very well adapted; and so copious, as to be able to furnish +us with precedents upon almost every occasion. The rock upon which +another has split is a kind of light-house or beacon to warn us from the +like calamity; and by taking such an advantage, how easily may we steer +a safe course! He that, in any negociation with his betters, does not +well and wisely consider how to behave himself, so as not to give +offence, may very likely come off as the Ass did: but a cool thinking +man, though he should despair of ever making friends of the people in +power, will be cautious and prudent enough to do nothing which may +provoke them to be his enemies. + + + + +FABLE XCIII. + +[Illustration: THE FOX AND THE GRAPES.] + + +A Fox, very hungry, chanced to come into a vineyard, where there hung +branches of charming ripe grapes; but nailed up to a trellis so high, +that he leaped till he quite tired himself, without being able to reach +one of them. At last--'Let who will take them!' says he, 'they are but +green and sour; so I will even let them alone.' + + +APPLICATION. + +This fable is a good reprimand to a parcel of vain coxcombs in the +world, who, because they would never be thought to be disappointed in +any of their pursuits, pretend a dislike to every thing which they +cannot obtain. There is a strange propensity in mankind to this temper, +and there are numbers of grumbling malcontents in every different +faculty and sect in life. The discarded statesman, considering the +corruption of the times, would not have any hand in the administration +of affairs for all the world. The country squire damns a court life, and +would not go cringing and creeping to a drawing-room for the best place +the king has at his disposal. A young fellow, being asked how he liked a +celebrated beauty, by whom all the world knew he was despised, answered, +she had a stinking breath. How insufferable is the pride of this poor +creature man! who would stoop to the basest vilest actions, rather than +be thought not able to do any thing. For what is more base and vile than +lying? And when do we lie more notoriously than when we disparage and +find fault with a thing, for no other reason but because it is out of +our power? + + + + +FABLE XCIV. + +[Illustration: THE HORSE AND THE STAG.] + + +The Stag with his sharp horns, got the better of the Horse, and drove +him clear out of the pasture where they used to feed together. So the +latter craved the assistance of man; and, in order to receive the +benefit of it, suffered him to put a bridle into his mouth and a saddle +upon his back. By this way of proceeding he entirely defeated his enemy; +but was mightily disappointed when, upon returning thanks, and desiring +to be dismissed, he received this answer:--'No, I never knew before how +useful a drudge you were; now I have found what you are good for, you +may depend upon it I will keep you to it.' + + +APPLICATION. + +As the foregoing fable was intended to caution us against consenting to +any thing that might prejudice public liberty, this may serve to keep +us upon our guard in the preservation of that which is of a private +nature. This is the use and interpretation given of it by Horace, the +best and most polite philosopher that ever wrote. After reciting the +fable, he applies it thus:--'This,' says he, 'is the case of him, who +dreading poverty, parts with that invaluable jewel, liberty; like a +wretch as he is, he will always be subject to a tyrant of some sort or +other, and be a slave for ever; because his avaricious spirit knew not +how to be contented with that moderate competency, which he might have +possessed independent of all the world.' + + + + +FABLE XCV. + +[Illustration: THE YOUNG MAN AND THE SWALLOW.] + + +A prodigal Young Spendthrift, who had wasted his whole patrimony in +taverns and gaming-houses, among lewd idle company, was taking a +melancholy walk near a brook. It was in the month of January; and +happened to be one of those warm sunshiny days which sometimes smile +upon us even in that winterly season of the year; and, to make it the +more flattering, a Swallow, which had made his appearance, by mistake, +too soon, flew skimming along upon the surface of the water. The giddy +Youth observing this, without any further consideration, concluded that +summer was now come, and that he should have little or no occasion for +clothes, so went and pawned them at the broker's, and ventured the money +for one stake more, among his sharping companions. When this too was +gone the same way with the rest, he took another solitary walk in the +same place as before. But the weather being severe and frosty, had made +every thing look with an aspect very different from what it did before; +the brook was quite frozen over, and the poor Swallow lay dead upon the +bank of it: the very sight of which cooled the young Spark's brains; and +coming to a kind of sense of his misery, he reproached the deceased bird +as the author of all his misfortunes:--'Ah, wretch that thou wert!' says +he, 'thou hast undone both thyself and me, who was so credulous as to +depend upon thee.' + + +APPLICATION. + +They who frequent taverns and gaming-houses, and keep bad company, +should not wonder if they are reduced, in a very small time, to penury +and want. The wretched young fellows, who once addict themselves to such +a scandalous kind of life, scarce think of, or attend to, any one thing +besides. They seem to have nothing else in their heads, but how they may +squander what they have got, and where they may get more when that is +gone. They do not make the same use of their reason that other people +do; but, like the jaundiced eye, view every thing in that false light in +which their distemper and debauchery represent it. The Young Man in the +fable gives us a pretty example of this; he sees a Swallow in the midst +of winter, and instead of being surprised at it, as a very irregular +and extraordinary thing, concludes from thence that it is summer, as if +he had never thought before about the season. Well, the result of this +wise conclusion is of a piece with the conclusion itself; if it is +summer, he shall not want so many clothes, therefore he sells them: for +what?--More money to squander away; as if (had his observation been +just) summer would have lasted all the year round. But the true result +and conclusion of all this is--when both his money and clothes are +irrecoverably gone, he comes to his right senses; is ready to perish +with hunger, to starve with cold, and to tear his own flesh with remorse +and vexation at his former stupidity. + + + + +FABLE XCVI. + +[Illustration: THE MAN AND HIS GOOSE.] + + +A certain Man had a Goose, which laid him a golden egg every day. But, +not contented with this, which rather increased than abated his avarice, +he was resolved to kill the Goose, and cut up her belly, that so he +might come at the inexhaustible treasure which he fancied she had within +her. He did so; and, to his great sorrow and disappointment, found +nothing. + + +APPLICATION. + +They who are of such craving impatient tempers, that they cannot live +contented when fortune has blessed them with a constant and continued +sufficiency, deserve even to be deprived of what they have. And this has +been the case of many ambitious and covetous men, who, by making an +essay to grow very rich at once, have missed what they aimed at, and +lost what they had before. But this comes so near the sense of the +forty-seventh fable, that the same application may very well serve for +both. If any thing further can be couched in this, it may possibly be +intended to show us the unreasonableness and inconvenience of being +solicitous about what may happen hereafter, and wanting to pry into the +womb of futurity: which if we could do, all we should get for our pains +would be, to spoil our pleasures by anticipation, and double our +misfortunes by a previous sense and apprehension of them. There are some +things that entertain and delight us very agreeably while we view them +at a proper distance; which, perhaps, would not stand the test of a too +near inspection. Beauty, being only the external form of a thing which +strikes the eye in a pleasing manner, is a very thin glossy being, and, +like some nice paintings of a peculiar composition, will not well bear +even to be breathed on: to preserve our good opinion of it, we must not +approach too close; for if, like the man in the fable, we have a mind to +search for a treasure within, we may not only fail of our expectations +there, but even lose the constant relish we enjoyed from a remoter +contemplation. + + + + +FABLE XCVII. + +[Illustration: THE DOG AND THE WOLF.] + + +A lean, hungry, half-starved Wolf, happened, one moonshiny night, to +meet with a jolly, plump, well-fed mastiff; and, after the first +compliments were passed, says the Wolf--'You look extremely well; I +protest, I think, I never saw a more graceful comely person. But how +comes it about, I beseech you, that you should live so much better than +I? I may say, without vanity, that I venture fifty times more than you +do; and yet I am almost ready to perish with hunger.'--The Dog answered +very bluntly--'Why you may live as well, if you will do the same for it +that I do.'--'Indeed! What is that?' says he.--'Why,' says the Dog, +'only to guard the house a nights, and keep it from thieves.'--'With +all my heart,' replies the Wolf, 'for at present I have but a sorry time +of it; and, I think, to change my hard lodging in the woods, where I +endure rain, frost, and snow, for a warm roof over my head, and a belly +full of good victuals, will be no bad bargain.'--'True,' says the Dog; +'therefore you have nothing more to do but to follow me.' Now, as they +were jogging on together, the Wolf spied a crease in the Dog's neck, +and, having a strange curiosity, could not forbear asking him what it +meant.--'Pugh! nothing,' says the Dog. 'Nay, but pray,'--says the Wolf. +'Why,' says the Dog, 'if you must know, I am tied up in the day-time, +because I am a little fierce, for fear I should bite people, and am only +let loose a nights. But this is done with design to make me sleep a +days, more than any thing else, and that I may watch the better in the +night-time; for, as soon as ever the twilight appears, out I am turned, +and may go where I please. Then my master brings me plates of bones from +the table with his own hands, and whatever scraps are left by any of the +family, all fall to my share; for you must know I am a favourite with +every body. So you see how you are to live.--Come, come along; what is +the matter with you?'--'No,' replied the Wolf, 'I beg your pardon; keep +your happiness all to yourself. Liberty is the word with me; and I would +not be a king upon the terms you mention.' + + +APPLICATION. + +The lowest condition of life, with freedom attending it, is better than +the most exalted station under a restraint. AEsop and Phaedrus, who had +both felt the bitter effects of slavery, though the latter of them had +the good fortune to have the mildest prince that ever was for his +master, cannot forbear taking all opportunities to express their great +abhorrence of servitude, and their passion for liberty, upon any terms +whatsoever. Indeed, a state of slavery, with whatever seeming grandeur +and happiness it may be attended, is yet so precarious a thing, that he +must want sense, honour, courage, and all manner of virtue, who can +endure to prefer it in his choice. A man who has so little honour as to +bear to be a slave, when it is in his power to prevent or redress it, +would make no scruple to cut the throats of his fellow creatures, or to +do any wickedness that the wanton unbridled will of his tyrannical +master could suggest. + + + + +FABLE XCVIII. + +[Illustration: THE WOOD AND THE CLOWN.] + + +A country Fellow came one day into the Wood, and looked about him with +some concern; upon which the Trees, with a curiosity natural to some +other creatures, asked him what he wanted.--He replied--'That he only +wanted a piece of wood to make a handle to his hatchet.' Since that was +all, it was voted unanimously, that he should have a piece of good, +sound, tough ash. But he had no sooner received and fitted it for his +purpose, than he began to lay about him unmercifully, and to hack and +hew without distinction, felling the noblest trees in all the forest. +Then the Oak is said to have spoke thus to the Beech in a low +whisper,--'Brother, we must take it for our pains.' + + +APPLICATION. + +No people are more justly liable to suffer than they who furnish their +enemies with any kind of assistance. It is generous to forgive; it is +enjoined us by religion to love our enemies; but he that trusts an +enemy, much more contributes to the strengthening and arming of him, may +almost depend upon repenting him for his inadvertent benevolence; and +has, moreover, this to add to his distress, that, when he might have +prevented it, he brought his misfortune upon himself by his own +credulity. + +Any person in a community, by what name or title soever distinguished, +who affects a power which may possibly hurt the people, is an enemy to +that people, and therefore they ought not to trust him: for though he +were ever so fully determined not to abuse such a power, yet he is so +far a bad man, as he disturbs the people's quiet, and makes them jealous +and uneasy by desiring to have it, or even retaining it, when it may +prove mischievous. If we consult history, we shall find that the thing +called Prerogative has been claimed and contended for chiefly by those +who never intended to make a good use of it; and as readily resigned and +thrown up by just and wise princes, who had the true interest of their +people at heart. How like senseless stocks do they act, who, by +complimenting some capricious mortal, from time to time, with parcels of +prerogative, at last put it out of their power to defend and maintain +themselves in their just and natural liberty! + + + + +FABLE XCIX. + +[Illustration: THE OLD LION.] + + +A Lion, worn out with old age, lay fetching his last gasp, and agonizing +in the convulsive struggles of death. Upon which occasion several of the +beasts, who had formerly been sufferers by him, came and revenged +themselves upon him. The Boar, with his mighty tusks, drove at him in a +stroke that glanced like lightning. And the Bull gored him with his +violent horns. Which, when the Ass saw they might do without any danger, +he too came up, and threw his heels into the Lion's face. Upon which, +the poor old expiring tyrant uttered these words with his last dying +groan:--'Alas! how grievous is it to suffer insults, even from the brave +and the valiant; but to be spurned by so base a creature as this is, who +is the disgrace of Nature, is worse than dying ten thousand deaths.' + + +APPLICATION. + +He that would be reverenced and respected by the rest of mankind, must +lay in a foundation for it of some kind or other; for people cannot be +persuaded to pay deference and esteem for nothing. So that, though we +have lived in good repute in the world, if ever we should happen to +outlive our stock, we must not be surprised to find ourselves slighted +and affronted, even by the vilest scum of the people. If therefore we +would raise to ourselves a dignity that will continue not only to the +end of our lives, but extend itself far down among the ages of +posterity, we should take care to establish it upon a foundation of +virtue and good-nature: this will not only preserve us from the insults +of enemies, but, upon occasion, surround us with a trusty guard of +faithful and sincere friends. + + + + +FABLE C. + +[Illustration: THE HORSE AND THE LOADED ASS.] + + +An idle Horse, and an Ass labouring under a heavy burden, were +travelling the road together; they both belonged to a country fellow, +who trudged it on foot by them. The Ass, ready to faint under his heavy +load, entreated the Horse to assist him, and lighten his burden, by +taking some of it upon his back. The Horse was ill-natured, and refused +to do it; upon which the poor Ass tumbled down in the midst of the +highway, and expired in an instant. The countryman ungirted his +pack-saddle, and tried several ways to relieve him, but all to no +purpose: which, when he perceived, he took the whole burden and laid it +upon the Horse, together with the skin of the dead Ass: so that the +Horse, by his moroseness in refusing to do a small kindness, justly +brought upon himself a great inconvenience. + + +APPLICATION. + +Self-love is no such ill principle, if it were but well and truly +directed; for it is impossible that any man should love himself to any +purpose, who withdraws his assistance from his friends or the public. +Every government is to be considered as a body politic; and every man +who lives in it as a member of that body. Now, to carry on the allegory, +no member can thrive better than when they all jointly unite in their +endeavours to assist and improve the whole. If the hand was to refuse +its assistance in procuring food for the mouth, they must both starve +and perish together. And when those, who are parties concerned in the +same community, deny such assistance to each other, as the preservation +of that community necessarily requires, their self-interestedness, in +that case, is ill-directed, and will have a quite contrary effect from +what they intended. How many people are so senseless as to think it hard +that there should be any taxes in the nation; whereas, were there to be +none indeed, those very people would be undone immediately. That little +property they have would be presently plundered by foreign or domestic +enemies; and then they would be glad to contribute their quota, even +without an act of parliament. The charges of supporting a government are +necessary things, and easily supplied by a due and well proportioned +contribution. But, in a narrower and more confined view, to be ready to +assist our friends upon all occasions, is not only good, as it is an act +of humanity, but highly discreet, as it strengthens our interest, and +gives us an opportunity of lightening the burden of life. + + + + +FABLE CI. + +[Illustration: THE OLD MAN AND DEATH.] + + +A poor feeble old man who had crawled out into a neighbouring wood to +gather a few sticks, had made up his bundle, and, laying it over his +shoulders was trudging homeward with it; but, what with age, and the +length of the way, and the weight of his burden, he grew so faint and +weak that he sunk under it: and, as he sat on the ground, called upon +Death to come, once for all, and ease him of his troubles. Death no +sooner heard him, but he came and demanded of him what he wanted. The +poor old creature, who little thought Death had been so near, and +frighted almost out of his senses with his terrible aspect, answered him +trembling, that having by chance let his bundle of sticks fall, and +being too infirm to get it up himself, he had made bold to call upon him +to help him: that, indeed, this was all he wanted at present; and that +he hoped his worship was not offended with him for the liberty he had +taken in so doing. + + +APPLICATION. + +This fable gives us a lively representation of the general behaviour of +mankind towards that grim king of terrors, Death. Such liberties do they +take with him behind his back, that, upon every little cross accident +which happens in their way, Death is immediately called upon; and they +even wish it might be lawful for them to finish by their own hands a +life so odious, so perpetually tormenting and vexatious. When, let but +Death only offer to make his appearance, and the very sense of his near +approach almost does the business. Oh, then all they want is a little +longer life; and they would be glad to come off so well as to have their +old burden laid upon their shoulders again. One may well conclude what +an utter aversion they, who are in youth, health, and vigour of body, +have to dying, when age, poverty, and wretchedness, are not sufficient +to reconcile us to the thought. + + + + +FABLE CII. + +[Illustration: THE BOAR AND THE ASS.] + + +A little scoundrel of an Ass, happening to meet with a Boar, had a mind +to be arch upon him,--'And so, brother,' says he, 'your humble servant.' +The Boar, somewhat nettled at his familiarity, bristled up to him, and +told him, he was surprised to hear him utter so impudent an untruth, and +was just going to show his noble resentment, by giving him a rip in the +flank; but wisely stifling his passion, he contented himself with only +saying--'Go, you sorry beast! I could be amply and easily revenged of +you; but I do not care to foul my tusks with the blood of so base a +creature.' + + +APPLICATION. + +Fools are sometimes so ambitious of being thought wits, that they run +great hazards in attempting to show themselves such. This is not the +first Ass, who, after a handsome rebuke from one superior to himself +both in courage and merit, has continued his awkward raillery even to +the last degree of offence. But such a dull creature is so far from +raising himself the least esteem by his ludicrous vein, that he has very +good luck if he escapes with a whole skin. Buffoons, like dwarfs, should +be matched with those of their own level; a man, in sense or stature, +would be ashamed to encounter either of them. But notwithstanding all +this, and though the Boar in the fable is a very good example to men of +generous brave spirits not to give themselves up to passion, nor to be +distempered with thoughts of revenge upon the insolent behaviour of +every Ass that offends them, because their hands would be dishonoured by +the tincture of a base man's blood; yet among human creatures, the +correction of an Ass that would be unseasonably witty, may be performed +with justness and propriety enough, provided it be done in good humour. +The blood of a coward, literally speaking, would stain the character of +a man of honour; when we chastise such wretches, it should be done, if +possible, in the utmost calmness of temper. It takes off something from +the reputation of a great soul, when we see it is in the power of a fool +to ruffle and unsettle it. + + + + +FABLE CIII. + +[Illustration: THE TUNNY AND THE DOLPHIN.] + + +A fish called a Tunny being pursued by a Dolphin, and driven with great +violence, not minding which way he went, was thrown by the force of the +waves upon a rock, and left there. His death now was inevitable; but, +casting his eyes on one side, and seeing the Dolphin in the same +condition lay gasping by him.--'Well,' says he, 'I must die, it is true; +but I die with pleasure, when I behold him who is the cause of it +involved in the same fate.' + + +APPLICATION. + +Revenge though a blind mischievous passion, is yet a very sweet thing: +so sweet, that it can even soothe the pangs and reconcile us to the +bitterness of death. And, indeed, it must be a temper highly +philosophical, that could be driven out of life by any tyrannical unjust +procedure, and not be touched with a sense of pleasure to see the author +of it splitting upon the same rock. When this is allowed, and it is +further considered how easily the revenge of the meanest person may be +executed even upon the highest, it should, methinks, keep people upon +their guard, and prevail with them not to persecute or be injurious to +any one. The moral turpitude of doing wrong is sufficient to influence +every brave honest man, and to secure him from harbouring even the least +thought of it in his breast: but the knave and the coward should weigh +the present argument, and, before they attempt the least injury, be +assured of this truth, that nothing is more sweet, nor scarce any thing +so easy to compass, as revenge. + + + + +FABLE CIV. + +[Illustration: THE PEACOCK AND THE MAGPIE.] + + +The birds met together upon a time to choose a king; and the Peacock +standing candidate, displayed his gaudy plumes, and catched the eyes of +the silly multitude with the richness of his feathers. The majority +declared for him, and clapped their wings with great applause: but just +as they were going to proclaim him, the Magpie stepped forth in the +midst of the assembly, and addressed himself thus to the new king--'May +it please your majesty elect, to permit one of your unworthy subjects to +represent to you his suspicions and apprehensions, in the face of this +whole congregation: we have chosen you for our king, we have put our +lives and fortunes into your hands, and our whole hope and dependence is +upon you; if therefore, the Eagle, or the Vulture, or the Kite, should +at any time make a descent upon us, as it is highly probable they will, +may your majesty be so gracious as to dispel our fears, and clear our +doubts, about that matter, by letting us know how you intend to defend +us against them?'--This pithy unanswerable question drew the whole +audience into so just a reflection, that they soon resolved to proceed +to a new choice. But, from that time, the Peacock has been looked upon +as a vain insignificant pretender, and the Magpie esteemed as eminent a +speaker as any among the whole community of birds. + + +APPLICATION. + +Form and outside, in the choice of a ruler, should not be so much +regarded as the qualities and endowments of the mind. In choosing heads +of corporations, from the king of the land down to the master of a +company, upon every new election it should be inquired into, which of +the candidates is most capable of advancing the good and welfare of the +community; and upon him the choice should fall. But the eyes of the +multitude are so dazzled with pomp and show, noise and ceremony, that +they cannot see things really as they are: and from hence it comes to +pass, that so many absurdities are committed and maintained in the +world. People should examine and weigh the real weight and merit of the +person, and not be imposed upon by false colours and pretences of I know +not what. + + + + +FABLE CV. + +[Illustration: THE FORESTER AND THE LION.] + + +The Forester meeting with a Lion one day, they discoursed together for +awhile without differing much in opinion. At last, a dispute happening +to arise about the superiority between a Man and a Lion, the Man, +wanting a better argument, showed the Lion a marble monument, on which +was placed the statue of a man striding over a vanquished Lion.--'If +this,' says the Lion, 'is all you have to say for it, let us be the +carvers, and we will make the Lion striding over the Man.' + + +APPLICATION. + +Contending parties are very apt to appeal for the truth to records +written by their own side; but nothing is more unfair, and at the same +time insignificant and unconvincing. Such is the partiality of mankind +in favour of themselves and their own actions, that it is almost +impossible to come at any certainty by reading the accounts which are +written on one side only. We have few or no memoirs come down to us of +what was transacted in the world during the sovereignty of ancient Rome, +but what were written by those who had a dependency upon it; therefore +it is no wonder that they appear, upon most occasions, to have been so +great and glorious a nation. What their contemporaries of other +countries thought of them we cannot tell, otherwise than from their own +writers: it is not impossible but they might have described them as a +barbarous, rapacious, treacherous, unpolite people; who, upon their +conquest of Greece, for some time, made as great havoc and destruction +of the arts and sciences, as their fellow plunderers, the Goths and +Vandals, did afterwards in Italy. What monsters would our own +party-zealots make of each other, if the transactions of the times were +to be handed down to posterity by a warm hearty man on either side! and, +were such records to survive two or three centuries, with what +perplexities and difficulties must they embarrass a young historian, as +by turns he consulted them for the characters of his great forefathers! +If it should so happen, it were to be wished this application might be +living at the same time that young readers, instead of doubting to which +they should give their credit, would not fail to remember that this was +the work of a man, that of a lion. + + + + +FABLE CVI. + +[Illustration: THE STAG LOOKING INTO THE WATER.] + + +A Stag that had been drinking at a clear spring, saw himself in the +water: and, pleased with the prospect, stood afterwards for some time +contemplating and surveying his shape and features from head to +foot.--'Ah!' says he, 'what a glorious pair of branching horns are +there! how gracefully do those antlers hang over my forehead, and give +an agreeable turn to my whole face! If some other parts of my body were +but proportionable to them, I would turn my back to nobody; but I have a +set of such legs as really makes me ashamed to see them. People may talk +what they please of their conveniencies, and what great need we stand in +of them upon several occasions; but, for my part, I find them so very +slender and unsightly, that I had as lief have none at all.' While he +was giving himself these airs, he was alarmed with the noise of some +huntsmen, and a pack of hounds that had been just laid on upon the +scent, and were making towards him. Away he flies, in some +consternation, and, bounding nimbly over the plain, threw dogs and men +at a vast distance behind him. After which, taking a very thick copse, +he had the ill-fortune to be entangled by his horns in a thicket; where +he was held fast till the hounds came in and pulled him down. Finding +now how it was like to go with him, in the pangs of death he is said to +have uttered these words:--'Unhappy creature that I am! I am too late +convinced, that what I prided myself in has been the cause of my +undoing, and what I so much disliked was the only thing that could have +saved me.' + + +APPLICATION. + +Perhaps we cannot apply this better than by supposing the fable to be a +parable! which may be thus explained. The Deer, viewing itself in the +water, is a beautiful young lady at her looking-glass. She cannot help +being sensible of the charms which lie blooming in every feature of her +face. She moistens her lips, languishes with her eyes, adjusts every +lock of her hair with the nicest exactness, gives an agreeable attitude +to her whole body; and then, with a soft sigh, says to herself,--'Ah! +how happy might I be, in a daily crowd of admirers, if it were not for +the censoriousness of the age! when I view that face, where Nature, to +give her her due, has been liberal enough of charms, how easy should I +be, if it were not for that slender particular, my honour. The odious +idea of that comes across all my happy moments, and brings a +mortification with it that damps my most flattering tender hopes. Oh! +that there were no such thing in the world!'--In the midst of these +soliloquies she is interrupted by the voice of her lover, who enters her +chamber singing a rigadoon air; and, introducing his discourse in a +familiar easy manner, takes occasion to launch out in praise of her +beauty; sees she is pleased with it, snatches her hand, kisses it in a +transport; and, in short, pursues his point so close, that she is not +able to disengage herself from him. But, when the consequence of all +this approaches, in an agony of grief and shame, she fetches a deep sigh +and says--'Ah! how mistaken have I been! the virtue I slighted might +have saved me; but the beauty I prized so much has been my undoing.' + + + + +FABLE CVII. + +[Illustration: THE STAG AND THE OX-STALL.] + + +A Stag, roused out of his thick cover in the midst of the forest, and +driven hard by the hounds, made towards a farm-house, and seeing the +door of an Ox-Stall open, entered therein, and hid himself under a heap +of straw. One of the Oxen, turning his head about, asked him what he +meant by venturing himself in such a place as that was, where he was +sure to meet with his doom?--'Ah!' says the Stag, 'if you will but be so +good as to favour me with your concealment, I hope I shall do well +enough; I intend to make off again the first opportunity.'--Well, he +staid there till towards night; in came the ox-man with a bundle of +fodder, and never saw him. In short, all the servants of the farm came +and went, and not a soul of them smelt any thing of the matter. Nay, +the bailiff himself came according to form, and looked in, but walked +away no wiser than the rest. Upon this the Stag, ready to jump out of +his skin for joy, began to return thanks to the good-natured Oxen, +protesting that they were the most obliging people he had ever met with +in his life. After he had done his compliments, one of them answered him +gravely--'Indeed, we desire nothing more than to have it in our power to +contribute to your escape; but there is a certain person, you little +think of, who has a hundred eyes; if he should happen to come, I would +not give this straw for your life.'--In the interim, home comes the +master himself, from a neighbour's, where he had been invited to dinner; +and, because he had observed the cattle to look but scurvily of late, he +went up to the rack, and asked, why they did not give them more fodder? +then, casting his eyes downward,--'Hey-day!' says he, 'why so sparing of +your litter? pray scatter a little more here. And these cobwebs--but I +have spoke so often, that unless I do it myself--' Thus, as he went on, +prying into every thing, he chanced to look where the Stag's horns lay +sticking out of the straw; upon which he raised a hue-and-cry, called +all his people about him, killed the poor Stag, and made a prize of him. + + +APPLICATION. + +The moral of this fable is, that nobody looks after a man's affairs so +well as he himself. Servants, being but hirelings, seldom have the true +interest of their master at heart, but let things run on in a negligent +constant disorder; and this, generally, not so much for want of capacity +as honesty. Their heads are taken up with the cultivation of their own +private interest; for the service and promotion of which that of their +master is postponed, and often entirely neglected. + +Few families are reduced to poverty and distress merely by their own +extravagance and indulgence in luxury: the inattention of servants +swells every article of expense in domestic oeconomy; and the retinue of +great men, instead of exerting their industry to conduce as far as +possible to the increase of their master's wealth, commonly exercise no +other office than that of locusts and caterpillars, to consume and +devour it. + + + + +FABLE CVIII. + +[Illustration: THE DOVE AND THE ANT.] + + +The Ant, compelled by thirst, went to drink in a clear purling rivulet; +but the current, with its circling eddy, snatched her away, and carried +her down the stream. The Dove, pitying her distressed condition, cropped +a branch from a neighbouring tree, and let it fall into the water, by +means of which the Ant saved herself, and got ashore. Not long after, a +fowler having a design upon the Dove, planted his nets in due order, +without the bird's observing what he was about; which the Ant +perceiving, just as he was going to put his design in execution, she bit +him by the heel, and made him give so sudden a start, that the Dove took +the alarm, and flew away. + + +APPLICATION. + +One good turn deserves another; and gratitude is excited by so noble and +natural a spirit, that he ought to be looked upon as the vilest of +creatures who has no sense of it. It is, indeed, so very just and +equitable a thing, and so much every man's duty, that, to speak of it +properly, one should not mention it as any thing meritorious, or that +may claim praise and admiration, any more than we should say a man ought +to be rewarded or commended for not killing his father, or forbearing to +set fire to his neighbour's house. The bright and shining piece of +morality, therefore, which is recommended to us in this fable, is set +forth in this example of the Dove, who, without any obligation or +expectation, does a voluntary office of charity to its fellow creature +in distress. The constant uninterrupted practice of this virtue, is the +only thing in which we are capable of imitating the great Author of our +being; whose beloved Son, besides the many precepts he has given to +enforce this duty, used this expression as a common saying, 'It is more +blessed to give than to receive.' + + + + +FABLE CIX. + +[Illustration: THE LION IN LOVE.] + + +The Lion, by chance, saw a fair Maid, the forester's daughter, as she +was tripping over a lawn, and fell in love with her. Nay, so violent was +his passion, that he could not live unless he made her his own; so that, +without any more delay, he broke his mind to the father, and demanded +the damsel for his wife. The man, as odd as the proposal seemed at +first, yet soon recollected, that by complying he might get the Lion +into his power; but, by refusing him, should only exasperate and provoke +his rage. Therefore he consented; but told him it must be upon these +conditions: that, considering the girl was young and tender, he must +agree to let his teeth be plucked out, and his claws cut off, lest he +should hurt her, or at least frighten her, with the apprehension of +them. The Lion was too much in love to hesitate; but was no sooner +deprived of his teeth and claws, than the treacherous forester attacked +him with a huge club, and knocked his brains out. + + +APPLICATION. + +Of all the ill consequences that may attend that blind passion, love, +seldom any prove so fatal as that one, of its drawing people into a +sudden and ill-concerted marriage. They commit a rash action in the +midst of a fit of madness, of which, as soon as they come to themselves, +they may find reason to repent as long as they live. Many an unthinking +young fellow has been treated as much like a savage, in this respect, as +the Lion in the fable. He has, perhaps, had nothing valuable belonging +to him but his estate, and the writings which made his title to it; and, +if he is so far captivated as to be persuaded to part with these, his +teeth and his claws are gone, and he lies entirely at the mercy of madam +and her relations. All the favour he is to expect, after this, is from +the accidental goodness of the family he falls into; which, if it happen +to be of a particular strain, will not fail to keep him in a distant +subjection, after they have stripped him of all his power. Nothing but a +true friendship, and a mutual interest, can keep up reciprocal love +between the conjugal pair; and when that is wanting, and nothing but +contempt and aversion remain to supply the place, matrimony becomes a +downright state of enmity and hostility: and what a miserable case he +must be in, who has put himself and his whole power into the hands of +his enemy, let those consider, who, while they are in their sober +senses, abhor the thoughts of being betrayed into their ruin, by +following the impulse of a blind unheeding passion. + + + + +FABLE CX. + +[Illustration: THE TORTOISE AND THE EAGLE.] + + +The Tortoise, weary of his condition, by which he was confined to creep +upon the ground, and being ambitious to have a prospect, and look about +him, gave out, that if any bird would take him up into the air, and show +him the world, he would reward him with a discovery of many precious +stones, which he knew were hidden in a certain place of the earth: the +Eagle undertook to do as he desired, and, when he had performed his +commission, demanded the reward; but finding the Tortoise could not make +good his words, he stuck his talons into the softer parts of his body, +and made him a sacrifice to his revenge. + + +APPLICATION. + +As men of honour ought to consider calmly how far the things which they +promise may be in their power, before they venture to make promises +upon this account, because the non-performance of them will be apt to +excite an uneasiness within themselves, and tarnish their reputation in +the eyes of other people; so fools and cowards should be as little rash +in this respect as possible, lest their impudent forgeries draw upon +them the resentment of those whom they disappoint, and that resentment +makes them undergo smart, but deserved, chastisement. The man who is so +stupid a knave as to make a lying promise where he is sure to be +detected, receives the punishment of his folly unpitied by all that know +him. + + +FINIS. + + +Printed by C. WHITTINGHAM, Chiswick. + + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's note: + +The header "Fable I" has been added. + +Variations in spelling and hyphenation have been preserved except in +obvious cases of typographical error. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of AEsop's Fables, by AEsop + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AESOP'S FABLES *** + +***** This file should be named 39187.txt or 39187.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/9/1/8/39187/ + +Produced by Chris Curnow, Julia Neufeld and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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