. gpA?x> O*A-*

 
 13 I, K S, 
 
 3-1 
 
 With a Life of -the Author; 
 
 and 
 
 VOL.1. 
 
 //-////.-<

 
 6- 
 I 713 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 J_ FABLE I. 
 
 THE Cock and the Jewel - - Page I 
 
 FABLE II. 
 
 The Wolf and the Lamb V^ , K H x^l 5 
 
 FABLE III. 
 
 The Lion and the Four Bulls - [. ../ 9 
 
 FABLE IV. 
 
 The Frog and the Fox >.;,} - - 13 
 
 FABLE V. 
 
 The Ass eating Thistles - _ jy 
 
 VOL. i. a
 
 11 
 
 FABLE VI. 
 
 The Lark and her Young Ones - Page 21 
 
 FABLE VII. 
 The Cock and the Fox ... 37 
 
 FABLE VIII. 
 The Fox in the Well - 31 
 
 FABLE IX. 
 The Wolves and the Sheep - - 35 
 
 FABLE X. 
 
 The Eagle and the Fox 39 
 
 FABLE XL 
 
 The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing ft - - 43
 
 Ill 
 
 FABLE XII. 
 
 The Fowler and the Ringdove :.- Page 47 
 
 FABLE XIII. 
 
 The Sow and the Wolf '-ti <^i 51 
 
 FABLE XIV. 
 
 The Horse and the Ass u 3&- 55 
 
 % 
 
 FABLE XV. 
 
 .. 
 The Wolf, the Lamb, and the Goat & 59 
 
 ^ 
 
 FABLE XVI. 
 
 The Kite and the Pigeons * 63 
 
 ^. FABLE XVIF. 
 
 The Country Mouse and the City Mouse 67 
 a 2
 
 IV 
 
 FABLE XVIII. 
 
 The Swallow and other Birds - Page 75 
 
 FABLE XIX. 
 
 The Hunted Beaver 79 
 
 FABLE XX. 
 The Cat and the Fox 81 
 
 FABLE XXI. 
 
 The Cat and the Mice ... 85 
 
 FABLE XXII. 
 
 The Lion and other Beasts - 89 
 
 FABLE XXIII. 
 
 The Lion and the Mouse ... 93
 
 FABLE XXIV. 
 
 The Fatal Marriage Page 97 
 
 FABLE XXV. 
 
 The Mischievous Dog - - 101 
 
 FABLE XXVI. 
 The Ox and the Frog 105 
 
 FABLE XXVII. 
 
 The Fox and the Lion - - ' ^-^ 109 
 
 FABLE XXVIII. 
 
 The Ape and the Fox - '" - ; ! -H 113 
 
 FABLE XXIX. 
 
 The Dog in the Manger - - ' - 117
 
 VI 
 
 FABLE XXX. 
 
 The Birds, the Beasts, and the Bat, Page 121 
 
 FABLE XXXI. 
 
 The Fox and the Tiger 125 
 
 FABLE XXXII. 
 The Lioness and the Fox 129 
 
 FABLE XXXIII. 
 The Oak and the Reed 133 
 
 FABLE XXXIV. 
 The Wind and the Sun - - - 137 
 
 FABLE XXXV. 
 
 The Kite, the Frog, and the Mouse - 141
 
 Vll 
 
 FABLE XXXVI. 
 The Frogs desiring a King Page 145 
 
 FABLE XXXVII. 
 
 The Old Woman and her Maids 149 
 
 FABLE XXXVIII. 
 The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox 153 
 
 FABLE XXXIX. 
 The Crow and the Pitcher 157 
 
 FABLE XL. 
 
 The Porcupine and the Snakes 161 
 
 FABLE XLI. 
 
 The Hares and Frogs in a Storm - 365
 
 VIII 
 
 FABLE XLII. 
 
 The Fox and the Wolf - Page 169 
 
 FABLE XLIII. 
 
 The Dog and the Sheep - 173 
 
 FABLE XLIV. 
 The Peacock and the Crane - - 177 
 
 FABLE XLV. 
 The Viper and the File - - 181 
 
 FABLE XLVL 
 The Ass, the Lion, and the Cock - 183 
 
 FABLE XLVII. 
 
 The Jackdaw and Peacocks - - 137
 
 IX 
 
 THE LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 M S O P. 
 
 IHE knowledge of the Egyptians was con- 
 cealed in hieroglyphics and other mysterious 
 characters ; that of the Grecians in symbols 
 and emblematical allusions: but ^Esop, having 
 penetrated through the veil they had thrown 
 over her, brought all their mysteries to light, 
 and wrapped them up in fables. His life, as 
 recorded by Planudes and other writers of an- 
 tiquity, is here faithfully presented to the 
 public.
 
 He was born al Ammonius, in Phrjgia the 
 Greater; a town in itself obscure, though, 
 from its being the birth place of ^Esop, might 
 successfully have entered into competition as 
 a rival with those cities that with a noble 
 emulation contended for the birth of Homer. 
 
 All agree that his person was uncommonly 
 deformed, insomuch that the Thersites of 
 Homer seems to be but an imperfect trans- 
 cript of him. His head was long, nose flat, 
 lips thick and pendent, a hump back, and 
 complexion dark, from which he contracted 
 his name (jEsopus being the same with 
 TEthiops), large belly, and bow legs : but his 
 greatest infirmity was, that his speech was 
 slow, inarticulate, and very obscure. Such was 
 the person of ^Esop. But, as Nature often sets 
 the most refulgent gems where they would be 
 least expected, so she endowed this extraordi- 
 nary man with an accomplished mind, capa- 

 
 XI 
 
 ble of the most sublime and elevated ideas. 
 His station in life also, as well as his person, 
 was mean and contemptible; the former part 
 of which was spent in the most abject po- 
 verty, and the latter in slavery, till a few years 
 before his death. 
 
 His first master (under whose dominion he 
 then groaned), finding him incapable of any 
 domestic business, employed him in the field, 
 where, not long after, he gave the first testi- 
 mony of his ingenuity. It happened one day, 
 when his master was walking in the field, that 
 a labourer presented him with some delicious 
 figs ; which he immediately gave to the care 
 of Agathopodus (another of his servants) till 
 he returned from the bath. But he* in league 
 with his fellow servant, agreed to eat them, 
 and lay the guilt upon j'Esop. When the 
 master returned, they loudly accused j^sop of 
 eating the figs. The master, enraged, sent for
 
 Xll 
 
 JEsop, and asked him what could induce him 
 to eat the figs he had ordered to be reserved ? 
 Not answering readily in his defence, he was 
 ordered to be punished. But, falling at his 
 master's feet, he implored him to suspend the 
 punishment. In which interval he ran and 
 fetched some warm water, and drank it ; then, 
 putting his finger down his throat, he caused 
 the water to return, for he had eaten nothing 
 that day. He then requested that his ac- 
 cusers might be ordered to do the same ; 
 which, his master approving, they were told 
 to do; and the consequence was that ./Esop's 
 innocence was apparent, and his enemies were 
 given to the punishment they justly deserved. 
 
 The day following his master returned to 
 the city, and ^Esop was remanded to his la- 
 bour ; when he met two priests of Diana who 
 had lost their way. They commanded him, 
 in the name of Jove, to direct them into the
 
 Xlll 
 
 most regular track; which he not only per- 
 formed, but refreshed them with meat; for 
 which kindness he gained their good wishes, as 
 well as their prayers. 
 
 jEsop, returning to his task, oppressed with 
 care and labour, lay down to sleep; and in a 
 dream beheld Fortune standing by him, grati- 
 fying him with volubility of language, and 
 the ability of wrapping up his ideas in the 
 form of apologues. Immediately starting up, 
 he exclaimed, " O wonderful! in what a champ- 
 ing trance have I been ; for, behold, I speak 
 fluently, and can register each creature by its 
 name. This certainly is the reward of my 
 compliance and kindness to the strangers." 
 Overjoyed, he went to his labour. Having 
 committed some fault, Zenas (overseer of the 
 field) struck him. " You are always," said 
 /Esop, " punishing him that offends you not.
 
 XIV 
 
 If my master knew it, he would, no doubt, 
 revenge these stripes/' Zenas, filled with en- 
 mity, and astonished to hear him speak flu- 
 ently, resolved (by way of prevention, lest he 
 should be discharged as an unjust steward) to 
 accuse him to his master; whom, not long 
 after, he accosted, desiring the gods to protect 
 him. Upon which his master inquired, what 
 it was that discomposed him? Zenas replied, 
 " Something wonderful in the field/' The 
 master asked, what the wonder could be ? He 
 answered, " JEsop, who was thought dumb, 
 has now found utterance and elocution." His 
 master observed, " This will be ruinous to 
 thee, in whose estimation he was reputed a 
 monster/' Zenas rejoined, " What he hath 
 spitefully spoken against me I should have 
 buried in silence; but against you and the 
 gods he hath uttered intolerable curses/' This
 
 XV 
 
 so incensed his master, that he ordered him to 
 be sold for a slave, as a recompense for his in- 
 gratitude and impiety. 
 
 No sooner had Zenas got JEsop in his 
 power than he informed him how he was to 
 be disposed of. To whom he replied, " Do 
 your pleasure/' Shortly after which a mer- 
 chant, coming to buy cattle, met Zenas ; who 
 told him, that though he had no cattle, he had 
 a man slave to sell. The merchant, hearing 
 this, desired to see him. ^Esop being intro- 
 duced, he burst into laughter, saying, " Had I 
 not been convinced by his voice, I should have 
 taken him for a blown bladder. Why did you 
 draw me aside to shock my eyes with such a 
 deformed monster?" As he departed, ^Esop 
 desired him to stop. The merchant replied, 
 " Be gone, you filthy cur/' jEsop then re- 
 quested to know for what cause he came 
 thither. He replied, " To buy something of
 
 XVI 
 
 value, not such a worthless thing as thou art/' 
 jEsop then pressed him to buy him, promising 
 he should find him worth his money. The 
 merchant desired him to explain himself. 
 " Have you at home," said jEsop, " any testy 
 children? I shall supply the place of bugbear, 
 to terrify them into silence." Zenas was then 
 asked, what he would take for that uncouth 
 creature ? " Three half-pence," said he. The 
 merchant paid the price, observing that with 
 nothing he had bought nothing. 
 
 When they were come near home, two of the 
 merchant's children, seeing jEsop, testified their 
 fear of him by crying. " Now, sir," said ^Esop, 
 " you see the effect of my promise." As they 
 went into the house the merchant, smiling, 
 commanded ^Esop to salute his fellow servants; 
 who, when they beheld his deformity, ex- 
 claimed, "What could induce my master to 
 bring such a wretch into his family!"
 
 XV11 
 
 Shortly after this the merchant ordered all 
 things to be got ready for an intended journey 
 into Asia. When they were assigning to each 
 servant his proportion of burden, jEsop desired 
 (it being his first time) that he might have 
 the lightest. His request being granted, he 
 took up the basket of bread; at which the 
 other slaves laughed, considering that burden 
 enough for two. But, when dinner time ap- 
 proached, -ZEsop (who had with great difficulty 
 sustained his load) was commanded to set it 
 down, and distribute an equal share of the bread 
 to the other slaves. His load being thus dimi- 
 nished one half, he pursued his journey with 
 pleasure. At supper time he was again ordered 
 to distribute of his load; after which (the basket 
 being emptied) the next morning he led the 
 van, and obliged those, who before had treated 
 him with contempt, to applaud his ingenuity. 
 
 Being arrived at Ephesus, and having sold 
 VOL. i. b
 
 XV111 
 
 divers of his slaves to good advantage, the 
 merchant was persuaded to sail with the last 
 three to Samos; namely, Cantor, a native of 
 Cappadocia, and Grammaticus, born in Ly- 
 dia; two persons of large dimensions; and 
 JEsop, whose character was before described. 
 Now, in order that he might the better sell the 
 two former, he dressed them in new clothes; 
 but (supposing np art could improve him) he 
 clothed ^Esop in sackloth, which exposed him 
 as well to derision as to sale. Among those 
 who came to buy was Xanthus, an eminent 
 philosopher of Samos, attended with his scho- 
 lars; who, having viewed the slaves, and see- 
 ing JEsop placed in the midst, supposed he 
 was set there that the other two might appear 
 to a greater advantage. 
 
 The philosopher first addressed himself to 
 Cantor, demanding what he could perform. 
 " All things/' said he. Xanlhus then demand-
 
 XJX 
 
 ed what price was set upon him. The merchant 
 replied, " a thousand half-pence/' Xanthus, 
 displeased at the price, went to the other, and 
 asked him what he could do. He also replied, 
 "All things." The philosopher then asked the 
 price of Grammaticus. He was told, " three 
 thousand half-pence/' Xanthus, thinking this 
 also too much, declared he would buy no ser- 
 vants that were rated at so high a price. Upon 
 which the scholars suggested to Xanthus to 
 buy jEsop, saying they would pay for him. 
 " Tis not fit," said Xanthus, " that I should 
 buy him, and you make good the payment. 
 Besides, my wife would be much displeased 
 to have such a mis-shapen person to wait upon 
 her." The scholars replied, " We are not 
 always obliged to comply with the desires of a 
 woman; therefore let us examine this deform- 
 ed creature." Xanthus, turning to ./Esop, bid 
 him be comforted. "Was I ever sad?" replied
 
 XX 
 
 JEsop. " Of what place are you a native?" 
 said the philosopher. "I am a negro," said 
 jEsop " I do not ask you that, but where 
 you were born?" ^Esop answered, " Of my 
 mother/' " Neither did I ask that/' said Xan- 
 thus. " But what place were you born in?" 
 " My mother never informed me whether 
 above or below/' " What can you perform ?" 
 " Nothing," replied jEsop; " the two former 
 having told you they can do all things, there 
 remains nothing for me to do." " Are you 
 willing," said Xanthus, " that I should buy 
 you?" " You ought," answered jEsop, " to 
 judge for yourself. Why do you ask me? If 
 you are willing, pay down the price, and make 
 an end of the business." " If I buy you," said 
 Xanthus, " you will try to escape." " If I do/' 
 said jEsop, " I shall not come to you for ad- 
 vice, as you do now to me." " But thou art 
 deformed!" "A philosopher," replied .Esop,
 
 XXI 
 
 " should not only view the body, but examine 
 the mind." The scholars, pleased with his in- 
 genious replies, again requested Xanthus to 
 buy him. He therefore asked the merchant 
 what price was set upon him; who answered, 
 " Surely thy design is to debase my commo- 
 dities. Thou hast declined the best to take 
 the worst." However, Xanthus, desirous of 
 buying him, again asked the price; which, 
 when known, the scholars paid, and Xanthus 
 took him into possession. 
 
 When they came near home Xanthus 
 commanded jEsop to wait in the porch, lest 
 his deformity should offend his wife; whom 
 Xanthus thus addressed " Mistress, you shall 
 have no cause for the future to be discon- 
 tented, for there is a servant in the porch as 
 handsome as ever was beheld/' At this the 
 maids smiled, and contended who should first 
 oblige him. The wife of Xanthus ordered
 
 XX11 
 
 one of them to fetch him. ^Esop, overhear- 
 ing her, prepared to enter. The maid, amazed 
 at his deformity, cried, " Art thou he?"" Yes, 
 sure/' said .ZEsop. " Enter not," replied the 
 maid, " unless you mean to frighten us all 
 out of the house." But /Esop persisted, and 
 appeared before his mistress; who, upon see- 
 ing him, thus addressed Xanthus: "What 
 monster is this you have brought? Discharge 
 him instantly." At the same time declaring 
 he had much offended her, and desiring he 
 would return that with which she had en- 
 riched him, and she would abandon that un- 
 happy mansion. On this Xanthus rebuked 
 JEsop, who had discovered so much ingenuity 
 before, that he was so silent now. " Cast 
 her off," said jEsop. " Away with you, vil- 
 lain," replied he. " My love and my life is so 
 incorporated into hers, as if one heart alone 
 managed two bodies." At which jEsop, stamp-
 
 XX111 
 
 ing, said that Xanthus was under the domi- 
 nion of his wife; and turning to his mistress, 
 said, " You, madam, would have had the phi- 
 losopher have brought you a young, hand- 
 some fellow, whose attractions might feed 
 your vanity, but at the same time might en- 
 danger his reputation: Oh, Euripides, thy 
 mouth was a golden one, for these words came 
 out of it! c Great is the effort of the sea when 
 its waves swell into sedition, and obey no law; 
 and the flame or impression of devouring fire, 
 poverty, is a ruinous condition ; and there are 
 many things intolerable, but nothing equal to 
 an impetuous woman/ You, being the wife 
 of a philosopher, should not be attended by 
 such persons as would bring philosophy itself 
 into disrepute." She, being unable to con- 
 tradict him, asked Xanthus, where he had pur- 
 chased this beauty. " The handsomeness of 
 his ingenuity " said she, " doth recompense for
 
 XX1V V 
 
 the deformity of his person: my dislike of 
 him is extinguished." " Your mistress," said 
 Xanthus to JEsop, " is now reconciled." JSsop 
 ironically replied, " Tis a difficult matter sure 
 to appease a woman/' " For the future," said 
 Xanthus, '* be silent; I bought you to obey, 
 not to contradict," 
 
 The day following, Xanthus, going to the 
 garden to buy herbs, commanded ^Esop to ac- 
 company him. When the gardener had ga- 
 thered the herbs, he intrusted them to ^Esop. 
 When they were paid for, the gardener asked 
 Xanthus, what was the natural reason that the 
 herbs which he planted did not improve with 
 that quick and active growth, as those which 
 were Nature's voluntary production? Xanthus 
 not being able to answer the question, thus 
 replied, " It thus happened from that order 
 and series of Providence that threaded to- 
 gether inferior causes and their effects." At
 
 XXV 
 
 which ./Esop smiled. " Do you laugh at me?" 
 said Xanthus. " I laugh at you," answered 
 he, " and not you only, but him that taught 
 you." Upon which Xanthus, addressing him- 
 self to the gardener, said, " It is not fit for me, 
 who have disputed in learned auditories, to un- 
 ravel questions in a garden. My servant here 
 will solve the difficulty." The gardener replied, 
 " Is there any knowledge treasured up in this 
 sordid vessel?" At which ^Esop was offended, 
 and asked the gardener this question. " When 
 a widow is engaged in second nuptials she is 
 mother to the issue of her first marriage, but 
 stepmother to the children of her second hus- 
 band. Those, to whom by the proper obliga- 
 tions of Nature her affections are intitled, she 
 affects and values more than those to whom 
 she is mother only by accidental relation. So 
 it is here the earth is a stepmother to those 
 plants which are incorporated into her womb
 
 XXVI 
 
 by art, but a mother to those which are her 
 own free production/' The gardener was so 
 well satisfied with his reply, that he gave him 
 liberty to gather what herbs he might at any 
 time want, as a recompense. 
 
 Some days after this, Xanthus, having met 
 with some friends at the bath, and intending 
 to invite them to dinner, ordered ./Esop to go 
 directly home, and boil some lentils. He 
 went, as enjoined, and only boiled one. Xan- 
 thus, after bathing, accordingly invited his 
 friends, informing them, that though their 
 fare would be but scanty, yet he was confident 
 they would take the will for the deed. When 
 they came home Xanthus ordered jEsop to 
 bring something to drink; who, taking some 
 water from the stream of the bath, presented 
 it to Xanthus. At which he was offended, 
 and asked -ZEsop where he brought it from? 
 " From the bath," said ./Esop. Xanthus, on
 
 xxvn 
 
 account of his friends, concealed his anger, 
 and called for a bason, which .ZEsop having 
 brought, stood still. Xanthus asked him, " Do 
 you not wash?" He replied, " Tis for you to 
 command, me to obey." But to put water 
 in the bason was no part of the command. 
 Upon which Xanthus asked his friends whe- 
 ther they thought he had bought a ser- 
 vant? Who replied that, in their opinion, 
 he had rather purchased a master. Xanthus 
 now asked if dinner was ready? When 
 yEsop, putting the lentil into a shell, present- 
 ed it to his master; who, having tried if it 
 was boiled enough, ordered him to serve up 
 the rest. J^sop immediately put the broth 
 into saucers, and brought them to Xanthus; 
 who asked where the lentils were? " You have 
 it already," replied ./Esop. " Did you boil but 
 one?" said his master. "No more, sir," said 
 ; " your command was in the singular
 
 XXVU1 
 
 number/' At which Xanthus, incensed, ex- 
 claimed, " This fellow is enough to drive me 
 mad ! but, that I may not deceive my friends, 
 go instantly, and buy four hogs' feet, and boil 
 them/' Which ^Esop cheerfully did. Now, 
 while they were boiling, Xanthus, wishing to 
 find some cause of complaint in .ZEsop's ab- 
 sence, took out one of the feet; which jEsop 
 on his return missed, and, suspecting the de- 
 sign, ran to an adjacent hog-sty ; and, cutting 
 off one of the feet of a fatted hog, singed it, 
 and put it into the pot. Xanthus, suspecting 
 that JEsop, on the discovery, would run away, 
 put the foot in again. So that, when jEsop 
 came to serve them up on the table, he found 
 there were five. Upon which Xanthus in- 
 quired by what means they were multiplied. 
 jEsop ' answered by asking, " How many feet 
 have two hogs?" His master replied, " Eight." 
 " Here, then," said ,<Esop, " are five present,
 
 XXIX 
 
 and yon fatted hog hath the other three/' 
 X an thus, being more enraged at this, ex- 
 claimed, " Did not I say this fellow would 
 drive me mad!" 
 
 Shortly afterwards one of the scholars in- 
 vited Xanthus and his fellow students to a 
 feast. Where Xanthus, wishing to reconcile 
 the difference he had occasioned when he first 
 returned, sent jEsop with a choice dish to his 
 mistress, telling him to give it to her that 
 loved him best. ^Esop went; and, seating him- 
 self in the porch, called his mistress, and shew- 
 ed her the present Xanthus had sent to her 
 that loved him best. " But this/' said he, 
 " madam, is not for you." Then, calling his 
 master's bitch Lycrena, he cast it down, and 
 bid her eat it. At his return Xanthus asked 
 him whether he had done as he was ordered? 
 He said, " Yes, and she swallowed it in my pre- 
 sence." His master then inquired what she
 
 said. " Nothing to me," said ^sop, " but to 
 you she returns her thanks." This so offended 
 his mistress, that she determined to leave the 
 house. In the mean time, while they were 
 all heated with wine, one of the company 
 asked, when would be the time of the great- 
 est confusion among mortals? .ZEsop replied, 
 " When the dead rise, and attempt to trace 
 out their ancient possessions/' At which the 
 scholars smiled. Another asked why sheep die 
 so calmly, and swine will; such an offensive 
 noise? "The sheep," answered .ZEsop, "be- 
 ing used to be shorn, are silent, and expect 
 nothing but what is customary; but swine, 
 unaccustomed to be handled, when they are 
 killed, make an hideous noise." The scholars 
 were so pleased with his answers that they 
 burst into laughter. Supper being over, Xan- 
 thus returned home, and would have saluted 
 his wife; but she, being highly offended at
 
 XXXI 
 
 what had passed, told him she would have no- 
 thing to say to him, who, instead of sending 
 her his dainties, had sent them to his dog. 
 Xanthus, surprised, asked jEsop to whom he 
 had presented them. Who replied, " To her 
 that loves you best/' Then, calling the spaniel, 
 " This is she," said he, " for, though you load 
 her with stripes, yet still she fawns upon and 
 accompanies you. You should have told me 
 to present them to your wife/' " You are 
 now convinced, mistress," said Xanthus, " it 
 was not my fault that the present miscarried. 
 Bear the disappointment with patience, and I 
 will take an opportunity of avenging it upon 
 TEsop." But this did not satisfy his wife. She 
 therefore went to her father; which caused 
 ^Esop to triumph, saying, " Now, sir, you see 
 which loves you best." 
 
 After this .ZEsop, observing his master un- 
 easy on account of his wife's departure^ told
 
 XXXll 
 
 him not to be unhappy, for that he would 
 soon bring her back again. For which purpose 
 he set off to market, and purchased fowls, 
 geese, &c. With these he intentionally went to 
 the house where his mistress resided, and ask- 
 ed the servants if they had any thing to sell 
 that would add to the magnificence of a 
 wedding feast he was about to provide. They 
 inquiring whose marriage was going to be ce- 
 lebrated, he replied, " Xanthus means to cele- 
 brate his second nuptials to-morrow/' This 
 intelligence soon reached the ear of his wife; 
 and filled her so with jealousy that she flew 
 home, and declared that no second espousals 
 of his should be established but upon her urn. 
 Thus jEsop, who was the occasion of her de- 
 parture, was the cause of her hasty return. 
 
 Not long after Xanthus invited his scholars 
 to dinner, and ordered JEsop to furnish the 
 feast with the choicest dainties; who, while
 
 XXX111 
 
 fulfilling the command of his master, was 
 studying how to expose his folly. He therefore 
 laid out the money in tongues, which he served 
 up accompanied with a poignant sauce. 
 
 The scholars much commended this first 
 course, as it furnished them with matter for 
 conversation : but the second and third being 
 the same, the guests were astonished as well 
 as their master; who inquired if there was 
 nothing provided but tongues ? Msop replied, 
 " Nothing else/'-" Thou lump of deformity," 
 said Xanthus, " did not I command you to 
 prepare the choicest dainties?" "Sir/* said 
 ^Esop, " your reproof before philosophers de- 
 serves my thanks. What excels the tongue? 
 It is the great channel of learning and philo- 
 sophy. By this noble organ addresses, com- 
 merce, contracts, eulogies, and marriages, are 
 completely established. On this moves life 
 itself, Therefore nothing is equal to the 
 
 VOL, i. e
 
 XXXIV 
 
 tongue." The scholars, departing, declared 
 that the philosophy of jEsop excelled that of 
 Xanthus. 
 
 Some time after this Xanthus, perceiving 
 the dissatisfaction of his scholars, told them it 
 was not his design so to have treated them. 
 " But now," said he, " I have ordered my ser- 
 vant to procure the worst meats for supper." 
 ^Esop, however, (constant to his purpose) 
 again provided tongues. Xanthus, more in- 
 censed still, asked him if this was the entertain- 
 ment he had ordered? To which JEsop re- 
 plied, that he had exactly fulfilled his com- 
 mands. " For what," said he, " is worse than 
 the tongue ? Is it not frequently the ruin of 
 empires, cities, and private connections? Is it 
 not the conveyance of calumnies and forge- 
 ries ? In short, is it not the grand disturber of 
 civil society?" When the scholars heard his 
 reply, they declared that the deformity of his
 
 XXXV 
 
 body was but the transcript of his distorted 
 and irregular manners; and gave Xanthus a 
 caution, lest his behaviour should drive him 
 out of his mind. To .whom ^Esop observed, 
 that their speech betrayed their malice, by en- 
 deavouring to cause discontent between him 
 and his master. 
 
 Xanthus, still desirous to revenge himself for 
 these affronts, again sought for cause to com- 
 plain of JEsop ; and commanded him (since he 
 had accused the scholars of officiousness) to 
 find a man that regarded nothing. The next 
 day, while traversing the streets, jEsop dis- 
 covered one sitting in a negligent posture, void 
 of reflection. This man ^Esop accosted, and 
 invited to dinner with his master. The clown, 
 without hesitation, followed him, and sat down 
 at his master's table in his mean attire. Xan- 
 thus immediately asked who this guest was? 
 /Esop replied, " It is a person regardless."
 
 XXXVI 
 
 Xanthus then desired his wife to wash the 
 strangers feet, thinking he would not permit 
 her. But, when she offered, the clown care- 
 lessly stretched out his feet for the purpose, 
 and suffered her to perform the office. Xanthus 
 next ordered him a goblet of wine, which he 
 readily drank off. When the meat was set be- 
 fore him, Xanthus complained that it was not 
 enough seasoned; but the clown said, he 
 thought it was very agreeable. Whereupon 
 Xanthus, troubled because he could not dis- 
 compose him, ordered the cheesecakes to be 
 brought, which the stranger also disposed of. 
 Upon this, Xanthus blamed the baker for not 
 mingling honey and pepper in the cheese- 
 cakes. The baker said it was not his fault, 
 but that of his mistress. Xanthus then said, 
 if it was so, that she should be instantly burnt 
 alive, thinking the clown would attempt her 
 rescue. But he, seeing no occasion for so pro-
 
 XXXV11 
 
 digious a passion, desired Xantlms to wait 
 until he brought his wife also, that they might 
 both suffer together. Upon this Xanthus ac- 
 knowledged that ^Esop had punctually fulfilled 
 his command, for which he would shortly grant 
 him his freedom. 
 
 The next day Xanthus sent ^Esop to the 
 bath, to inform him what company was there. 
 As he was going he met the city praetor ; who 
 (knowing him to be the servant of Xanthus) 
 asked him where he was going. ^Esop an- 
 swered, " I do not know/' At which the prae- 
 tor was offended, and ordered him to prison 
 for speaking so impertinently. As they were 
 taking him away, he cried out, " Oh, prae- 
 tor, did not I tell you I did not know where 
 I was going?" The praetor, pleased with the 
 reply, dismissed him : and ^Esop went on his 
 errand. Observing that many stumbled, both 
 going in and coming out of the bath, at a
 
 XXXV111 
 
 stone which lay at the entrance, and that only 
 one attempted to lay it aside, he went home, 
 and told his master there was but one person 
 in the bath. Xanthus arriving, and seeing a 
 multitude, asked him the reason of his false iiv 
 formation. ^Esop told him, there was a great 
 stone lay at the entrance, over which many 
 stumbled, but only one removed the obstacle ; 
 so that there was only one man, the rest being 
 little better than cyphers. 
 
 ' Not long after, on a day fixed by Xanthus 
 and other philosophers for public rejoicing, 
 Xanthus having drank freely, was raised into 
 a passion, being worsted in some dispute that 
 had arisen. Which jEsop observing, said, 
 " Master, Bacchus is the parent of three evils. 
 The first is voluptuousness, the second intem- 
 perance, the third calumny or reproach; of 
 which you, being engaged in drink, should 
 beware." At last, Xanthus being intoxicated.
 
 XXXIX 
 
 one of the scholars asked him if it was possi- 
 ble to drink off the sea. " Very easy/' said 
 Xanthus, " I will engage to perform it myself." 
 Upon which they laid a wager ; and having 
 exchanged rings, departed. The day follow- 
 ing Xanthus missed his ring, and asked .ZEsop 
 what was become of it. " I know not/' said 
 he, " but this I am confident of we mus|; not 
 stay here ; for yesterday, when disguised with 
 liquor, you betted your whole fortune that you 
 would drink off the ocean ; and, to bind the 
 wager, you exchanged your ring/' Xanthus 
 replied, " What could I engage less? But 
 can you contrive how to get rid of it/' 
 " To perform it," said ^Esop, " is impossible ; 
 but how to avoid it I will shew you When 
 you meet again, be as confident as ever, and 
 order a table to be placed on the shore, and 
 persons prepared to lave the ocean with cups; 
 and, when the multitude are assembled, ask
 
 xl 
 
 what was the wager. The reply will be, that 
 you engaged to drink up the sea : then do you 
 address them thus, * Ye citizens of Samos, you 
 are not ignorant that many rivers discharge 
 themselves into the sea. My agreement was 
 to drink up the ocean, and not those streams. 
 If you, then, can obstruct their course, I am 
 ready to perform my engagement/ Xanthus, 
 being pleased with the expedient, when the 
 people assembled, acted and said as jEsop had 
 instructed him ; for which he was highly ap- 
 plauded. When the scholar fell at his feet, 
 and owned himself wrong ; at the same time 
 requesting that the wager might be dissolved : 
 which Xanthus, at the desire of the Samians, 
 granted. 
 
 -^Esop, on his return home, intimated to 
 Xanthus how much he had merited -his free- 
 dom, which so offended Xanthus, that he had 
 bid him go to the door; and, if there were
 
 xli 
 
 two crows in sight, to tell him, for it was an 
 auspicious omen ; but, if he beheld but one, 
 it would be a bad one. ^Esop returned, and 
 told him he saw two perched on a tree. But, 
 when Xanthus went out, one of them was 
 gone. Upon which he called JEsop an un- 
 grateful villain, observing that his whole aim 
 was to make him an object of ridicule, for 
 which he should now be scourged. ^Esop, 
 groaning with his stripes, addressed one who 
 entered to sup with his master in a sad accent 
 thus, " You that beheld one crow, are re- 
 warded with a supper ; and I, that discovered 
 two, am recompensed undeservedly/' Which 
 ingenious address so softened Xanthus, that he 
 forbad the continuance of his punishment. 
 
 Shortly after, Xanthus designing to enter- 
 tain the philosophers and orators, commanded 
 .ZEsop to stand at the gate, and to admit none 
 but wise men. At the appointed time several
 
 xlii 
 
 came to the gate, requesting admittance : but 
 Msop put this question to them all " What 
 stirs the dog?" At which they were much 
 offended, supposing he meant to give them 
 that appellation. At last one came who made 
 this reply to his question, " His ears and his 
 tail." jEsop, satisfied with the answer, ad- 
 mitted him, and conducted him to his master, 
 saying there was only one philosopher had 
 desired admittance. The day following, when 
 they met at the schools, they reproached 
 Xanthus with treating them contemptuously, 
 by permitting ^sop to stand at the gate and 
 salute them with the opprobrious epithet of 
 " dogs." Xanthus asked if they were serious. 
 They replied, they were. Upon which JEsop 
 was called, and asked how he dared to affront 
 his friends? To which he replied, " Did you 
 not tell me that none but philosophers should 
 be admitted ?"-' And what are these?" said
 
 xliii 
 
 Xanthus, " do they not merit that character?" 
 " By no means," said ^Esop, " for, when they 
 came to the gate, I demanded of them What 
 stirs the dog? And but one among them all 
 gave me a proper answer/* Upon this all 
 agreed that ^Esop had acted strictly as his 
 master commanded him. 
 
 One day, when Xanthus, accompanied by 
 ./Esop, went to visit the monuments, and to 
 amuse himself with the inscriptions, jEsop, 
 seeing these letters on one of them, sc. " , (3, 
 $9 o, f, $, %" shewed them to Xanthus, asking 
 him their meaning. Who, after serious con- 
 sideration, confessed he knew not. " Master," 
 said ,/Esop, " if by these characters I trace out 
 a treasure, what reward shall I receive ?" Xan- 
 thus answered, " thy freedom, and half the 
 treasure/' Then jEsop, having dug the earth 
 four feet from the stone, found it; and, giv- 
 ing it to his master, claimed his reward.
 
 xliv 
 
 " No," said Xanthus, " not till I can unravel 
 the mystery, the knowledge of which will be 
 more than the treasure." ^Esop told him a 
 prudent man had engraven them, and the 
 sense was this : " going, jG, paces, , four, 
 * digging, e thou shalt find, 3- a treasure, % of 
 gold!" Xanthus answered, " It will be more to 
 my interest to keep thee than to let thee 
 go/'" Then," said jEsop, " I will prove that 
 the gold belongs to the king of Bizantium." 
 " How do you prove it?" said his master. 
 " Thus/' replied he, " restore, (2 to the king, 
 $ Dionysius, o which, & thou hast found, $ trea- 
 sure, x of gold." Upon this Xanthus request- 
 ed jEsop to accept the half, as a reward for 
 his silence. jEsop replied, " I receive not this 
 as the effect of your bounty, but of his who 
 concealed it ; for this is the genuine sense of 
 the letters * taking, (2 go your way, $ divide, 
 o which, g you have found, $ the treasure."
 
 xlv 
 
 Xanlhus replied, " Come, depart ; the moiety 
 of the gold, and your freedom, shall be your 
 reward/' As they returned, Xanthus (fearing 
 jEsop would discover the affair) commanded 
 that they should take him to prison. As they 
 ^vere taking him away, jEsop exclaimed, " Do 
 the solemn promises of philosophers, and their 
 specious intimation of liberty, end in prison 
 and fetters?" Upon which Xanthus ordered his 
 release, observing that what he had said was 
 true; though he was confident, when he had 
 got his freedom, he would do all that lay in 
 his power to injure him. ^Esop answered, 
 " In spite of all your artifices, I shall obtain 
 my liberty." 
 
 Soon after this, on a day appointed for 
 general festivity by the citizens of Samos, an 
 eagle descended, snatched up the public ring, 
 and afterward dropped it into the lap of a 
 slave. The astonished Samians applied to
 
 xlvi 
 
 Xanthus to unfold the mystery; who, know- 
 ing himself incapable, was very much de- 
 jected. ^Esop, perceiving this, asked what made 
 him so unhappy. " To-morrow, when you 
 appear in public," says he, " tell the Samians, 
 that you are not dexterous in these matters* 
 but you have a servant that is." To this Xan- 
 thus agreed, and accordingly the next day 
 yEsop was called forth. But, when they saw 
 him, they smiled, asking contemptuously, 
 44 How can such a deformed creature unfold 
 this great mystery?" jEsop, waving his hand, 
 replied, " Ye citizens of Samos, ye should not 
 only view the front of the house, but the 
 tenant also; for frequently an upright and 
 understanding soul dwells in a deformed and 
 disordered body : and you know it is not the 
 shape of the cask that men admire, but the 
 wine concealed therein." Hearing this, they 
 desired him to proceed ; wherefore he con-
 
 xlvii 
 
 tinued, " Ye Samians, it rests with you to 
 judge between the master and the servant. If 
 I do not unfold the mystery concealed in this 
 signal accident, let stripes be my reward ; but, 
 if the master be outvied by the discovery, then 
 let my freedom be given me." Upon this 
 they insisted that Xanthus should give ^Esop 
 his freedom. Xanthus making no reply, the 
 city praetor addressed him thus : " If you do 
 not grant the request of the people, I will de- 
 clare JEsop free." Whereupon Xanthus de- 
 clared jEsop free, and the city crier proclaim- 
 ed it. Then said ./Esop to his master, "In 
 spite of all your malice, I have obtained my 
 freedom/' And then, addressing the people, 
 he thus unfolded the mystery ; " Ye citizens 
 of Samos ! the eagle, you know, is the mo- 
 narch of birds; and, as the public ring was 
 dropped into the lap of a slave, it seems to 
 forebode that some of the adjacent kings will
 
 xlviii 
 
 attempt to overthrow your established laws, 
 and entomb your liberty in slavery/' 
 
 This filled the Samians with grief. Shortly 
 after, letters arrived from Croesus of Lydia, 
 requiring the Samians to pay tribute, or else 
 prepare to suffer the calamities of a destructive 
 war. 
 
 Upon which a public council was called, 
 and jEsop was requested to give his advice ; 
 who thus addressed them : " We have/' said 
 lie, " but two objects before us. The one is 
 liberty ; which in the beginning is rough and 
 difficult, but in the end smooth and easy : the 
 other is bondage ; whose beginning is easy, 
 but the conclusion fatal and calamitous." 
 The Samians, when they heard this, declared, 
 that, as they were at present free, so they and 
 their liberty would stand or fall together. 
 And with this resolute reply dismissed the am- 
 bassadors. Croesus, being informed of their
 
 xlix 
 
 resolution, determined to go to war with 
 them. But the ambassadors advised him first 
 to send for jEsop, with a promise that the 
 tribute should be suspended, and then per- 
 haps he might reduce them; but that, as long 
 as they were strengthened with the counsel of 
 ^Esop, he would not be able. Croesus took 
 their advice, and sent for him upon those con- 
 ditions. The Samians, being well satisfied, 
 agreed to give him up. But, when ^Esop 
 heard of it, he thus addressed them, " Ye 
 citizens of Samos, I am ready to prostrate my- 
 self at the feet of Croesus, but first I will tell 
 you a tale. The wolves commenced war with 
 the sheep, but the sheep were secured by the 
 generous protection of the dogs; on which 
 the wolves sent ambassadors to the sheep, to 
 this end, that, if they desired peace, they 
 should give up their dogs. The timorous and 
 unwary sheep agreed to it, and sent away their 
 VOL. i. d
 
 1 
 
 protectors. The wolves immediately destroyed 
 their dogs, and then the sheep fell an easy 
 
 p re y/' The Samians, comprehending his 
 
 meaning, refused to let ^Esop go, but he re- 
 solved to accompany the ambassadors. 
 
 When they arrived at Lydia, they presented 
 JEsop. As soon as the king saw him he was 
 angry; despising the idea that so despicable 
 a person should by his counsels prevent him 
 from conquering the Samians. ^Esop, observ- 
 ing his astonishment, said, " Mighty sir! since 
 neither by force nor necessity, but my own 
 free will, I give myself up, I request your 
 attention. A certain man, having gathered 
 many locusts, killed them; and having with 
 them taken a grashopper, she thus bespoke 
 him: ' Sir, do not kill me, for I am no 
 ways destructive, my whole employment being 
 to charm to sleep the weary traveller/ Upon 
 which he let her go. Thus I, O king, pros-
 
 li 
 
 trate before you, desire my life may be the 
 monument of your mercy, since it cannot be 
 prejudicial to any man; for in this deformed 
 body you shall find an exalted mind." Crre- 
 sus replied, " ^.sop, not only thy life, but 
 a fortune, shall be the proof of my bene- 
 ficence. Demand, therefore, what you please, 
 and it shall be granted/' " Oh king," said 
 JEsop, " be reconciled to the Samians." The 
 king replied, " I am." And shortly after sent 
 jEsop back with letters of reconciliation. On 
 his arrival the citizens, crowned with garlands, 
 saluted him, rejoicing to find that peace was 
 re-established. 
 
 He not long after departed from Samos; 
 and, after passing through many kingdoms, 
 and disputing with several philosophers, at 
 last arrived at Babylon ; where he soon gained 
 the esteem of king Lycerus. In those days it 
 was usual for nations to send philosophical 
 d2
 
 lii 
 
 questions to each other, subject to a fine if 
 they could not resolve them. Now JEsop, 
 unfolding those sent to king Lycerus, improved 
 the reputation of the king. He also, in the 
 king's name, proposed many; which the neigh- 
 bouring kings were not able to resolve. 
 
 Msop, being childless, had adopted a noble- 
 man named Eunus for his heir, and sought 
 the favour of the king in his behalf. But one 
 day, surprising him with his concubine, he 
 discarded him. In revenge for which, Eunus 
 forged letters from jEsop to the philosophers 
 of another kingdom, and presented them to 
 king Lycerus; in which it appeared that 
 ^sop wished to render them services in pre- 
 ference to the king. 
 
 The king, believing the imposture, with- 
 out examining into the truth of it, ordered 
 Hermippus to put Msop to death. But he, 
 being in friendship with ^Esop, concealed him
 
 liii 
 
 in a sepulchre. The king gave ^Esop's estates 
 to Eunus. 
 
 Not long after this, Nectenabo, king of 
 Egypt, hearing jEsop was dead, sent a letter 
 to Lycerus, requiring artificers who could 
 erect a tower which should neither touch 
 heaven nor earth, and one that could resolve 
 all that was demanded; on the accomplish- 
 ment of which he would pay him tribute; 
 but, in case of failure, he would exact it of 
 him. After the king had read the letter he 
 cried out, " ^Esop, the pillar of my kingdom, 
 is dead!" Now Hermippus, hearing the king 
 deplore his loss, informed him he had not 
 performed his command, but had preserved 
 the life of j^sop; well knowing that the king 
 himself would in the end be grieved. 
 
 At which the king rejoiced, and sent for 
 uEsop; who, after having established his in- 
 nocence, was again received into favour, and
 
 liv 
 
 Eunus was condemned to die; but, on the in- 
 tercession of .ZEsop, his life was spared. Now, 
 as soon as the king of Egypt's letter was shewn 
 to jEsop, he desired that this message might 
 be returned ' that, after winter was expired, 
 one should appear who would not only erect 
 the tower, but answer every question de- 
 manded.' Which was immediately dispatched. 
 TEsop, having re-adopted Eunus, admonished 
 him to this effect ;< My son, worship God, 
 and honour the king; make thyself a terror to 
 thine enemies, and useful to thy friends. Pray 
 that thine enemies may be indigent, that they 
 may not offend thee; and thy friends opulent, 
 that they may be able to assist thee. Be con- 
 stant to thy consort, lest thy inconstancy should 
 make her so. Be slow to speak and swift to 
 hear. Envy not those who do well. So ma- 
 nage thy domestic affairs that those who fear 
 may love. Be not ashamed to learn. Trust
 
 Iv 
 
 not thy secrets to a woman, lest she should be 
 insolent. Let to-day's stock be the pledge of 
 to-morrow's store. Be gentle to all. Discard 
 parasites and whisperers. Always act as thou 
 mayest have no cause to repent." These say- 
 ings had such an effect upon Eunus, that he 
 shortly after died with remorse and compunc- 
 tion. 
 
 The winter being nearly expired, jEsop 
 procured four young eagles; which he taught 
 to carry baskets with little children in them, 
 and to obey their command; and, having pre- 
 pared for his journey into Egypt, in a short 
 time set off, taking the eagles with him. 
 
 Nectenabo, being told that ^Esop was ar- 
 rived, expressed his surprise, having under- 
 stood that he was dead. The next day all his 
 officers were assembled, dressed in white robes; 
 and the king in his royal attire and imperial 
 diadem. When seated on his throne he sent
 
 Ivi 
 
 for JEsop, and asked him, to what he resem- 
 bled him, and those who surrounded the 
 throne ? ^sop replied, " You resemble the 
 vernal sun, and your attendants a fruitful 
 harvest." With which answer the king was 
 greatly pleased. The day following the king 
 appeared in white, and his retinue in purple; 
 when jEsop was asked the same question : to 
 which he answered, " You are an emblem of 
 the sun, and those that stand round a type of 
 effused beams." Then Nectenabo inquired his 
 opinion of his kingdom, and whether he did 
 not think it preferable to that of Lycerus. 
 " Do not flatter yourself," said Msop, " though 
 your kingdom may shine like the rays of the 
 sun, yet, if put into competition with his, it 
 would soon fade/' Nectenabo, applauding his 
 answer, asked where they were that could 
 erect the tower. " They are ready ," said 
 , " if you have appointed the place."
 
 Ivii 
 
 Upon which the king shewed him a spacious 
 plain. Then JEsop produced the eagles, with 
 the children in the baskets; and, giving them 
 their working instruments, commanded the 
 eagles to fly; who, being raised in the air, 
 demanded the necessary materials. Necte- 
 nabo, hearing their request, said to jEsop, " I 
 have no men that can fly/' ,<Esop replied, 
 " How then can you think of engaging in a con- 
 test with king Lycerus, who is stored with such?" 
 Nectenabo acknowledged himself subdued. 
 
 Shortly after he sent for several sages from 
 Heliopolis, to ask jEsop a variety of questions. 
 One of the Pleliopolitans at the banquet said 
 to jEsop, " I am employed by one of our 
 deities to ask you this question." " You dis- 
 cover your ignorance/' said ^Esop, " by dimi- 
 nishing the knowledge of one of your gods/' 
 A second put this question, desiring jEsop to 
 explain it. There is a vast temple, and a
 
 Iviii 
 
 column supporting twelve magnificent cities, 
 each of which is sustained with thirty rafters, 
 and constantly circulated by two women/ 
 To this ^Esop answered, ' The temple is this 
 world, the cities the months, the rafters the 
 days of the month, and the day and night are 
 the two women who successively attend each 
 other/ 
 
 The day following Nectenabo summoned 
 his friends, and confessed that the tribute ex- 
 acted by Lycerus was due to the ingenuity of 
 jEsop. One of them replied, " We will try 
 him again with questions that were never 
 heard of." " And I," said JEsop, " will answer 
 them." 
 
 He then departed, and prepared a schedule, 
 whereon was engrossed " Nectenabo confesses 
 he is indebted a thousand talents to Lycerus;" 
 and in the morning presented it to the king; 
 who, paying him the money, observed that
 
 lix 
 
 Lycerus was fortunate to have his kingdom 
 supported by so sagacious a person. He then 
 dismissed him, bidding him farewell. 
 
 Msop, having digested the whole into a 
 narrative, returned to Babylon, and presented 
 it with the tribute to Lycerus; who was so 
 well pleased, that he commanded an elegant 
 statue to be erected to his memory. 
 
 Shortly after he obtained leave of the king 
 to sail into Greece, upon condition that he 
 should return to Babylon. Having surveyed 
 the different provinces, and obtained an emi- 
 nent character, he set off for Delphos, where 
 the temple of Apollo stood. But here they 
 paid but little attention to his eloquence : ob- 
 serving which, ^Esop said, " Ye citizens of 
 Delphos, you justly resemble the wood that 
 floats on the sea; which at a distance appears 
 something worth, but when it approaches we 
 are disappointed. So I, when at a great dis-
 
 Ix 
 
 tance from your city, did admire you, but 
 now am led to think you the most useless 
 among men." Hearing this, they were afraid 
 that he would, at his departure, speak dis- 
 respectfully of them; they therefore deter- 
 mined to ensnare and destroy him. For which 
 end they took a golden cup out of the tem- 
 ple, and concealed it in ^Esop's baggage; who, 
 unsuspecting, departed to Phocide. The Del- 
 phians pursued him, and there charged him 
 with sacrilege. He denied the fact; but they 
 untied his baggage, found the cup, and dis- 
 covered it to the city. jEsop, now seeing 
 through their malicious stratagem, desired they 
 would not deprive him of his life. But they 
 first condemned him to prison, and then to 
 death. ^Esop, unable to extricate himself, 
 deplored his fate in the prison : while he was 
 complaining, one Demas (a friend) asked him 
 the cause of his violent sorrow. ^Esop re-
 
 Ixi 
 
 \ 
 
 plied, " A woman, having lately buried her 
 husband, wept daily over his grave. One, 
 who was plowing not far off, fell in love with 
 her; and, leaving his oxen, went to the grave, 
 and mourned with her. She asked why he 
 wept. ' Because/ replied he, ' I have lately 
 buried an amiable wife, and find it gives me 
 ease/ ' Such is my fate/ said the woman. 
 ' Then/ said he, ' as we are united in trouble, 
 why should we not be joined in marriage, 
 since we love each other?' While they were 
 thus engaged some villain took away his oxen; 
 upon which he went home, and wept much. 
 The woman inquired, why he wept now. 
 He replied, ' I have just cause to weep/ So I, 
 after having escaped many dangers, have 
 cause to weep that I cannot extricate myself 
 from this." The Delphians then came, and 
 dragged him to the verge of a craggy pre- 
 cipice; when JEsop thus addressed them:
 
 Ixii 
 
 " When beasts did parley, the mouse, being 
 intimate with the frog, invited her to supper 
 in the storehouse of a rich man, desiring her 
 to make herself welcome. After this the frog 
 invited the mouse; and, that he might not 
 be tired with swimming, she tied his leg to 
 hers. This done, they endeavoured to go 
 across the stream; but, before they were half 
 over, the mouse was drowned; and, when 
 dying, declared the frog was the cause, and 
 that some more powerful than themselves 
 would avenge his death. The eagle, behold- 
 ing the mouse floating on the water, snatched 
 at him, and with him took the frog; thus both 
 fell a prey to the eagle. So I, who am ready 
 to fall a victim to your injustice, shall not 
 want an avenger; for all Greece and Babylon 
 will unite for that purpose." 
 
 But all this was of no avail; neither his 
 attempt to shelter himself in the temple.
 
 Ixiii 
 
 They still continued dragging him to the 
 precipice; when he again addressed them: 
 " Ye citizens of Delphos, the hare, being pur- 
 sued by the eagle, retreated into the nest of 
 the hornet. The hornet implored the eagle to 
 have pity on the hare. The eagle repulsed 
 the hornet, and destroyed the hare. The hor- 
 net traced out the nest of the eagle, and de- 
 molished her eggs. The next time the eagle 
 built her nest higher; but the hornet still pur- 
 sued, and again destroyed them. The third 
 time the eagle soared, and deposited her eggs 
 between the knees of Jupiter, invoking his 
 protection. The hornet, composing a ball of 
 dirt, dropped it into Jupiter's lap; who, for- 
 getting the eggs, shook all off together. Be- 
 ing informed by the hornet that this was in 
 revenge for a former injury, he endeavoured 
 to reconcile them, lest the progeny of his fa- 
 vorite bird should be destroyed. But, the
 
 Ixiv 
 
 hornet persisting, he respited the hatching of 
 the eagles till the time when the hornets sally 
 forth. And you, citizens of Delphos, despise 
 not this deity, from whom I have implored 
 refuge/' 
 
 Now JEsop, perceiving they continued still 
 deaf to his entreaties, sternly, and for the last 
 time, bespoke them thus : " Ye cruel and ob- 
 durate men, a certain husbandman, growing 
 aged, who had never beheld the city, desired 
 his servants to convey him thither, that he 
 might see it before he died. As he went he 
 was overtaken by a violent storm and gloomy 
 darkness, so that the asses which drew the 
 carriage mistook the way, and guided him to 
 a precipice; where, being upon the verge of 
 approaching ruin, he thus exclaimed, ' Oh 
 Jove, what injury have I committed, that 
 hath incensed thee to cause this misfortune; 
 especially that I should owe my death not to
 
 Ixv 
 
 generous horses, nor active mules, but to dull 
 and despicable asses ?" "And this," said JEsop, 
 " is my unhappy fate, to fall, not by the hands 
 of persons of worth and abilities, but by those 
 of the vilest and most worthless of men." 
 This said, the Delphians threw him from the 
 precipice, and he perished. 
 
 Not long after, a destructive pestilence hav- 
 ing raged among them, they were told by the 
 oracle, that it was the expiation of ^Esop's un- 
 just tragedy. Wherefore, in order to avert the 
 judgment, they erected a pompous monument 
 over his bones. 
 
 But when the principles of Greece and the 
 sages were informed of the catastrophe, and 
 having maturely weighed the fact, they se- 
 verely revenged the innocent effusion 
 blood. 
 
 VOL. I.
 
 FABLES. 
 
 ^ FABLE I. 
 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 spar- 
 kled with an exceeding bright lustre; but, not 
 knowing what to do with it, endeavoured to 
 cover his ignorance under a gay contempt: 
 VOL. i. B
 
 so, shrugging up his wings, shaking his head, 
 and putting on a grimace, he expressed him- 
 self 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 gentle- 
 men, 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 an- 
 other way. But, whatever gallant airs people 
 may give themselves upon these occasions, 
 without dispute, the solid advantages of virtue,
 
 3 
 
 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 
 lime 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 rea- 
 sonable 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. 
 
 B 2
 
 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 con- 
 cealed 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 
 
 THE WOLF AND THE LAMB. 
 
 ONE hot, sultry day, a Wolf and a Lamb hap- 
 pened 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. TThe 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, 
 asl^ed him, what he meant by disturbing the 
 water, and making it so muddy that he could
 
 6 
 
 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.^J 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, c 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 inno- 
 cence live quietly in its neighbourhood. In 
 short, wherever ill people are in power, inno- 
 cence 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
 
 8 
 
 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 pre- 
 tence to tyrannize over innocence, and exercise 
 all manner of injustice.
 
 9 
 
 FABLE III. 
 
 THE LION AND THE FOUR BULLS. 
 
 Foun 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 makeone 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 there- 
 fore contented himself, for the present, with 
 keeping at a distance. At last, perceiving no
 
 10 
 
 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 separa- 
 tion. 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, how-
 
 11 
 
 ever 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 cau- 
 tioned not to let them be broken by tale-bearers 
 and whisperers, or any other contrivance of 
 our enemies.

 
 13 
 
 FABLE IV. 
 
 THE FROG AND THE FOX. 
 
 A FROG, leaping out of the lake, and taking 
 the advantage of a rising ground, made pro- 
 clamation 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 learn- 
 ing, and give credit to every thing he said. At 
 last the Fox, who was present, with indigna-
 
 14 
 
 tion asked him, how he could have the im- 
 pudence, with those thin lantern-jaws, that 
 meagre pale phyz, 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 clergy- 
 man, 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 our- 
 selves. Good advice ought always to be fol- 
 lowed, without our being prejudiced upon ac- 
 count 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
 
 15 
 
 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.
 
 m 

 
 FABLE V. 
 
 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 
 VOL. i. c
 
 18 
 
 Thistle is more savoury and relishing than the 
 most exquisite and sumptuous banquet. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 Happiness and misery, and oftentimes plea- 
 sure and pain, exist merely in our opinion, and 
 are no more to be accounted for than the dif- 
 ference 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
 
 19 
 
 they think so and so! This childish humour 
 of wondering at the different tastes and opi- 
 nions 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 what- 
 ever, 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. 
 
 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 be- 
 fore her young brood were fledged, and able to 
 remove from the place ; wherefore, upon fly- 
 ing 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 cn\\ 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 quiver- 
 ing 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
 
 23 
 
 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 rela- 
 tions as slack as the rest of his neighbours, said 
 to his son, ' Harkye, George, do you get a cou- 
 ple of good sickles ready agajnst to-jnorrow 
 morning, and we will even reap the corn our- 
 selves/ When the Young Ones told their mo- 
 ther this, 4 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.
 
 24 
 
 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 sus- 
 pense while he expects the issue of the matter, 
 but generally meets with a disappointment. 
 While he, who lays the chief stress of his busi- 
 ness 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 assist- 
 ance of friends. To stand by ourselves, as much 
 as possible, to exert our own strength and vigi- 
 lance in the prosecution of our affairs, is god- 
 like, being the result of a most noble and highly
 
 25 
 
 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 stu- 
 pid abject slavery, and shew themselves unwor- 
 thy of the talents with which human nature is 
 dignified.
 
 FABLE VII. 
 
 THE COCK AND THE FOX. 
 
 THE Fox, passing early one summer's morn- 
 ing 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 hap- 
 pened ; 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 imagi-
 
 28 
 
 nable. ' Dear cousin/ says he, 6 you see what 
 an unfortunate accident has befallen me here, 
 and all upon your account : for, as I was creep- 
 ing through yonder hedge, in my way home- 
 ward, I heard you crow, and was resolved to 
 ask you how you did before I went any fur- 
 ther : 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 wea- 
 pon 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 ob- 
 jects only. When the innocent fall into mis- 
 fortune, 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-sub- 
 jects, are entrapped in their own pernicious 
 schemes, he that labours to deliver them, makes 
 himself an associate in their crimes, and be- 
 comes 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,
 
 30 
 
 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 negotiations 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 re- 
 flection, which he could not forbear making, 
 that, while these little criminals swing for some 
 trifling inconsiderable rapine, others, so tran- 
 scendently their superiors in fraud and plunder, 
 escape with a whole skin.
 
 31 
 
 FABLE VIII. 
 
 , 
 
 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
 
 32 
 
 am sorry for you with all my heart; how could 
 you possibly come into this melancholy con- 
 dition?' ' Nay, pr'ythee, friend/ replies the 
 Fox, ' if you wish me well, do not stand pity- 
 ing 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 trou- 
 blesome, 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 put- 
 ing them in mind that they are miserable. 
 He is truly my friend who, with a ready pre- 
 sence of mind, supports me; not he who con-
 
 33 
 
 doles 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. 
 
 VOL. i.
 
 35 
 
 FABLE IX. 
 
 THE WOLVES AND THE SHEEP. 
 
 THE Wolves and the Sheep had been a long 
 time in a state of war together. At last a ces- 
 sation of arms was proposed, in order to a 
 treaty of peace, and hostages were to be deli- 
 vered on both sides for security. The Wolves 
 proposed that the Sheep should give up their 
 dogs, on the one side, and that they would de- 
 liver up their young ones, on the other. This 
 proposal was agreed to ; but no sooner exe- 
 cuted, than the young Wolves began to howl
 
 36 
 
 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 wilh- 
 out controul. 
 
 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 con- 
 tinual 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
 
 37 
 
 safety and well-being. And if this be a just 
 and reasonable rule for men to govern them- 
 selves 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. 
 
 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
 
 40 
 
 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 
 " shewing 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 sacri- 
 ficing 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 resolu- 
 tion 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 con- 
 sideration of our being in a high condition of
 
 41 
 
 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 nigh ; and, having outgrown all 
 feelings of humanity, are insensible of any 
 pangs of remorse. The widow's tears, the or- 
 phan'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
 
 42 
 
 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 re- 
 venge, at the expence 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. 
 
 THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING. 
 
 A WOLP, 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 admiration at it. 
 ' What,' says one of them, * brother, do you
 
 44 
 
 make hanging of Sheep ?' ' No/ replies the 
 other, ' but I make hanging of a Wolf when- 
 ever I catch him, though in the habit and garb 
 of a Sheep/ Then he shewed them their 
 mistake, and they applauded the justice of the 
 execution. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 This fable shews 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 quali- 
 ties which it covers, we may often mistake evil 
 for good, and, instead of a Sheep, take a Wolf 
 into our protection, Therefore, however in- 
 nocent or sanctified any one may appear, as to 
 the vesture Avherewith he is clothed, we may 
 act rashly, because we may be imposed upon, 
 if from thence we take it for granted, that he
 
 46 
 
 is inwardly as good and righteous as his out- 
 ward 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.
 
 47 
 
 FABLE XII. 
 
 THE FOWLER AND THE RINGDOVE. 
 
 A FOWLER took his gun, and went into the 
 woods a shooting. He spied a Ringdove 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
 
 48 
 
 whole body began to mortify; which, when 
 he perceived, he could not help owning it to 
 be just. * Fate/ says he, ' has brought destruc- 
 tion 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 re- 
 flections, 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 uneasi- 
 ness it occasions ! Why should we think others 
 born to hard treatment more than ourselves?
 
 49 
 
 Or imagine it can be reasonable to do to an- 
 other, 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 injus- 
 tice, 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. 
 
 VOL. I.
 
 FABLE XIII. 
 
 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 insinu- 
 ate 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, 
 
 E2
 
 52 
 
 or so, you may depend upon it, I will take as 
 much care of your pigs as you could do your- 
 self.' * 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. Especi- 
 ally, 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
 
 53 
 
 coldness towards him. We should resolve not 
 to receive even favours from bad kind of peo- 
 ple ; 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 com- 
 munication with us.
 
 55 
 
 FABLE XVI. 
 
 THE HORSE AND THE ASS. 
 
 THE Horse, adorned with his great war sad- 
 dle, and champing his foaming bridle, came 
 thundering along the way, and made the moun- 
 tains 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 him- 
 self. Immediately he called out to him, in a 
 haughty imperious tone, and threatened to 
 trample him in the dirt, if he did not break
 
 56 
 
 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 en- 
 gagement with the enemy, happened to be shot 
 in the eye, which made him unfit for shew, or 
 any military business ; so he was stript 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
 
 57 
 
 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, tLfct it renders us despicable and ridi- 
 culous. It is an affectation of appearing con- 
 siderable 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 a Horse, and is as void of
 
 58 
 
 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 com- 
 miseration, they will meet with nothing but 
 contempt; and that with much more justice 
 than ever they themselves exerted it towards 
 others.
 
 59 
 
 FABLE XV. 
 
 THEWOLF,THELAMB,ANDTHEGOAT. 
 
 A WOLF, meeting a Lamb, one day, in com- 
 pany 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 dis- 
 tance. ' It may be so/ says the Lamb; ' the 
 person that happened to conceive me, and af- 
 terwards bore me a few months in her belly 
 because she could not help it, and then dropt 
 me, she did not care where, and left me to the 
 wide world, is, I suppose, what you call my
 
 60 
 
 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 our 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
 
 62 
 
 are not wanting examples of undutiful parents: 
 and, when a father, by using a son ill, and de- 
 nying him such an education and such an al- 
 lowance 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. 
 
 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 in- 
 tentions, who had nothing more at heart than 
 the defence and protection of the Pigeons in 
 their ancient rights and liberties, and how con-
 
 64 
 
 cerned 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 go- 
 vernment over them. To prevent all which, 
 and thoroughly to quiet their minds, he thought 
 proper to propose to them such terms of alli- 
 ance and articles of peace as might for ever 
 cement a good understanding betwixt 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 when-
 
 65 
 
 ever he pleased. And this he was not con- 
 tented 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 expec- 
 tation; or never thoroughly knew the manners 
 of their king till he had got them entirely in 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 66 
 
 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. 
 
 THE COUNTRY MOUSE AND THE 
 CITY MOUSE. 
 
 Ax 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 ac- 
 quaintance, 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 de- 
 F 2
 
 68 
 
 licate grey peas and bacon, a dish of fine oat- 
 meal, some parings of new cheese, and, to 
 crown all with a desert, a remnant of a charm- 
 ing mellow apple. In good manners, he for- 
 bore 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 splendor 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. Remem- 
 ber, we are not immortal, and therefore have
 
 69 
 
 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, chang- 
 ing the courses as elegantly, and tasting every 
 thing first as judiciously, as any clerk of a
 
 70 
 
 kitchen. The other sat and enjoyed himself 
 like a delighted epicure, tickled to the last de- 
 gree 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
 
 71 
 
 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 prac- 
 tice of theirs proceeds rather from a compli- 
 ance 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 get- 
 ing, somewhat more than their fathers have 
 left them ! The town is the field of action for 
 volunteers of this kind; and whatever fond- 
 ness 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 busi-
 
 72 
 
 ness do in some degree or other, but has formed 
 to himself some end of getting some sufficient 
 competency, which may enable him to pur- 
 chase 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 tem- 
 pest of business, he had so often longed for. 
 Can any thing argue more strongly for a coun- 
 try 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 indispensable bu- 
 siness is the real or pretended plea which most
 
 73 
 
 of them have to make for it. The court and the 
 senate require the attendance of some: law- 
 suits, 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 pre- 
 tence, 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 plea- 
 sure, and, accordingly, lost no opportunities of 
 enjoying it: and men of the greatest distinction 
 among the moderns, have ever thought them- 
 selves most happy when they could be decently 
 spared from the employments which the excel- 
 lency of their talents necessarily threw them into, 
 to embrace the charming leisure of a country life.
 
 FABLE XVIII. 
 
 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 
 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
 
 76 
 
 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 farther. 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 pre- 
 tending 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 duell- 
 ings of men. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 As men, we should always exercise so much 
 humanity as to endeavour the welfare of man-
 
 77 
 
 kind, particularly of our acquaintance and re- 
 lations ; and, if by nothing farther, 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 prose- 
 cute 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
 
 79 
 
 FABLE XIX. 
 
 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 
 ecsaped with his life.
 
 80 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 However it is amongst beasts, there are few 
 human creatures but what are hunted for some- 
 
 4 
 
 thing else besides either their lives or the plea- 
 sure 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 common-wealth, 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.
 
 81 
 
 FABLE XX. 
 
 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 
 VOL. i. <*
 
 82 
 
 with one or two of mine, but indeed, neigh- 
 bour, as times go, it is not good to trust; we 
 must even be every one for himself, as the say- 
 ing 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 
 bim keep them to himself, and make use of
 
 83 
 
 them as he sees occasion; but he should not 
 be teasing others with an idle and impertinent 
 ostentation of them. One good discreet expe- 
 dient, 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 shew his skill in; where, if he should mis- 
 carry, (as ten to one but he does) his misfor- 
 tune, 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 shewing 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. 
 G 2
 
 85 
 
 FABLE XXI. 
 
 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
 
 86 
 
 c'aiue 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 pos- 
 ture 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 fol- 
 lowing this rule: for, upon examination, we 
 shall find, that most of the misfortunes which 
 befall us, proceed from our too great credulity.
 
 87 
 
 They that know how to suspect, without ex- 
 posing or hurting themselves, till honesty 
 comes to be more in fashion, can never suspect 
 too much.
 
 89 
 
 FABLE XXII. 
 
 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 fo- 
 rest. One day, having made a sort of an excur- 
 sion 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,
 
 90 
 
 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 unreason- 
 able demand; considering that all the engage- 
 ments 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 re- 
 maining part, the necessity of our present af- 
 fairs is so very urgent, our stock so low, and 
 our credit so impaired and weakened, that I
 
 91 
 
 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 deter- 
 mine, whether it is more stupid and ridicu- 
 lous 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.
 
 93 
 
 FABLE XXIII. 
 
 THE LION AND THE MOUSE. 
 
 A LION, faint with heat, and weary with 
 hunting, was laid down to take his repose un- 
 der the spreading boughs of a thick shad j 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 man- 
 ner, begging him not to stain his noble cha-
 
 94 
 
 racter with the blood of so despicable and 
 small a beast. The Lion, considerng the mat- 
 ter, thought proper to do as he was desired, and 
 immediately released his little trembling pri- 
 soner. 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 no- 
 thing, 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
 
 95 
 
 need of his assistance ; and consequently that 
 it is good to use clemency, where there there is 
 any room for it, towards those who fall within 
 our power. A generosity of this kind is a hand- 
 some 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 oc- 
 casion, 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 spe- 
 cimen of a great soul, which is never so much 
 delighted as with an opportunity of shewing 
 how sensible it is of favours received.
 
 97 
 
 FABLE XXIV. 
 
 THE FATAL MARRIAGE, 
 
 THE Lion aforesaid, touched with the grate- 
 ful 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 con- 
 sider what was proper for him to ask, as what 
 was in the power of his prince to grant; and 
 VOL. i. n
 
 98 
 
 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 posses- 
 sion, 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 shew 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 judg-
 
 99 
 
 inent which oftentimes makes the prince a 
 poor wretch, and the poor philosopher com* 
 pletely 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 ca* 
 pacity, so as not to speak or undertake any 
 thing which may either injure or make us ri* 
 diculous: and yet (as wonderful as it is) there 
 have been men of allowed good sense in parti- 
 cular, and possessed of all desirable qualifica- 
 tions 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 blind* 
 ness : but when wealthy plebeians, of mean ex* 
 traction and unrefined education, as an equi* 
 val.ent for their money, demand brides out of 
 the nurseries of our peerage, their being de- 
 spised, or at least overlooked, is so unavoidable,, 
 H 2
 
 100 
 
 unless in extraordinary cases, that nothing but 
 a false taste of glory could make them enter 
 upon a scheme so inconsistent and unpro- 
 mising.
 
 101 
 
 FABLE XXV. 
 
 THE MISCHIEVOUS DOG. 
 
 A CERTAIN man had a Dog, which was so 
 curst 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 honour- 
 able 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
 
 102 
 
 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 fa- 
 vour. If they betray any weaknesses in con- 
 versation, 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 defe-
 
 103 
 
 rence. There are several decent ways of pre 
 venting such turbulent men from doing mis- 
 chief, 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.


 
 105 
 
 FABLE XXVI. 
 
 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
 
 106 
 
 she, straining herself yet more. ' Indeed, mam- 
 ma/ 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 Plum- 
 stock was possessed of a very considerable estate, 
 devolved to him hy the death of an old uncle, 
 who had adopted him his heir. He had a false 
 taste of happiness; and, without the least eco- 
 nomy, trusting to the sufficiency of his vast 
 revenue, was resolved to be outdone by no- 
 body in shewish grandeur and expensive liv-
 
 107 
 
 ing. 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 pro- 
 portionably 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 Castle- 
 builder's gardens, which consist of twenty acres, 
 whereas his own were not above twelve. From 
 that time he grew pensive; and before the en- 
 suing winter gave five and thirty years pur- 
 chase for a dozen acres more to enlarge his 
 gardens, built a couple of exorbitant green- 
 houses, and a large pavilion at the farther end 
 of a terrace-walk. The bare repairs and su-
 
 108 
 
 perintendencies of all which call for the re- 
 maining 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.

 
 110 
 
 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 as- 
 sumes 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 shame* 
 facedness 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 rea-
 
 Ill 
 
 sonable 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.
 
 113 
 
 FABLE XXVIII. 
 
 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 back- 
 side, 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, 
 4 That as to his having too much, that was 
 more than he knew; but be it as it would, he 
 VOL. i. i
 
 114 
 
 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 pos- 
 teriors/ 
 
 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 en- 
 titled 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
 
 115 
 
 things are left in a great measure by Provi- 
 dence, 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 fa- 
 thom ; 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 reli- 
 gion which enjoined it: but selfish and avari- 
 i 2
 
 116 
 
 cious people, who are always great knaves, 
 how much soever they may have, will never 
 think they have enough : much less be in- 
 duced, by any consideration of virtue and re- 
 ligion, to part with the least farthing for pub- 
 lic charity and beneficence.
 
 117 
 
 FABLE XXIX. 
 
 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/
 
 118 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 Envy is the most unnatural and unaccount- 
 able of all the passions. There is scarce any 
 other emotion of the mind, however unreason- 
 able, but may have something said in excuse 
 for it ; and there are many of these weaknesses 
 of the soul, which, notwithstanding the wrong- 
 ness 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 him- 
 self 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 sa- 
 tiated. 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 co-
 
 119 
 
 vetous 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 ca- 
 lamity that should befall mankind : for, as long 
 as there is a creature living, that enjoys its be- 
 ing 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.
 
 121 
 
 FABLE XXX. 
 
 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 a battle; and, their animosities 
 running very high, a bloody slaughter ensued. 
 The Bat, at the beginning of the day, think- 
 ing the birds most likely to carry it, listed him-
 
 self among them ; but kept fluttering at a 
 little distance, that he might the better ob- 
 serve, 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, skulk- 
 ing in caves and hollow trees all day, as if 
 ashamed to shew himself, he never appears till 
 the dusk of the evening, when all the feather- 
 ed 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 shew 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 aggra- 
 vation and extraordinary degree of its baseness. 
 We cannot help reflecting upon it with hor- 
 ror: 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
 
 124 
 
 afterwards meet with, they rather seem to be 
 encouraged and applauded, than despised and 
 discountenanced, for it.
 
 125 
 
 FABLE XXXI. 
 
 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
 
 126 
 
 wrongs. In the midst of these threats, while 
 he was lashing himself with his tail, and tear- 
 ing 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 endeavour- 
 ed 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
 
 127 
 
 prove detrimental to their proprietors. A rash 
 froward man, who depends upon the excel- 
 lence 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 se- 
 cured it to himself. Counsel and conduct al- 
 ways 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 ad- 
 dress enough to disarm his adversary, and 
 drub him with his own staff. In a word, sa-
 
 128 
 
 vage fierceness and brutal strength must not 
 pretend to stand in competition with finesse 
 and stratagem.
 
 129 
 
 FABLE XXXII. 
 
 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 observ- 
 ing 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: 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 130 
 
 * 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 vehe- 
 mence 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
 
 131 
 
 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 ce- 
 lebrated 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 human kind 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 at- 
 tempt 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 cautions how he ventures his 
 reputation in a second. 
 
 K 2
 
 FABLE XXXIII. 
 
 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 againt 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, ' 1 secure
 
 134 
 
 myself by putting on a behaviour quite con- 
 trary to what you do; instead of being stub- 
 born 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 es- 
 teemed 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 im- 
 patient reluctant spirit, fights against her, in- 
 stead of alleviating, does but double her blows 
 upon himself. A person of a quiet still tem-
 
 135 
 
 per, whether it is given him by Nature, or ac- 
 quired 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 pru- 
 dent 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 doc- 
 trine 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 im- 
 possible for us to overcome, to submit pa- 
 tiently is one of the most reasonable maxims 
 in life.


 
 137 
 
 FABLE XXXIV. 
 
 THE WIND AND THE SUN. 
 
 A DISPUTE once arose betwixt 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 what- 
 ever 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
 
 138 
 
 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 un- 
 able 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 obdu- 
 racy, which mild persuasion and gentle lan- 
 guage only can dissolve and soften. Persecu-
 
 139 
 
 tion has always fixed and riveted those opi- 
 nions 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 reforma- 
 tion : 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 pur- 
 pose, 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 erro- 
 neous as orthodox. When an opinion is so 
 violently attacked, it raises an attention in
 
 140 
 
 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 a while 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.
 
 141 
 
 FABLE XXXV. 
 
 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, chal- 
 lenged the Mouse to single combat. The 
 Mouse accepts the challenge; and each of
 
 142 
 
 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 press- 
 ing 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 ig- 
 norant 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
 
 143 
 
 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 divi- 
 sions at home, all the powers upon earth could 
 never deprive you.


 
 145 
 
 FABLE XXXVI. 
 
 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 man- 
 ner, and petitioned Jupiter to Jet them have a 
 King, who might inspect their morals, and 
 make them live a little honester. Jupiter, be- 
 ing at that time in pretty good humour, was 
 pleased to laugh heartily at their ridiculous re- 
 quest; and, throwing a little log down into the 
 pool, cried, ' There is a King for you/ The 
 VOL. i. L
 
 146 
 
 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 in- 
 sipid a King as this was, they sent their depu- 
 ties 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 
 Mercuty, 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 re- 
 store them to their former state. ' No/ says 
 he, ' since it was their own choice, let the ofo-
 
 147 
 
 stinate 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 free- 
 dom 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, .ZEsop 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 licenti- 
 ousness. And factions happening to be fo- 
 mented among them by designing people, much 
 .about the same time, Pisistratus took that op- 
 portunity to make himself master of their cita-
 
 148 
 
 del and liberties both together. The Athenians 
 finding themselves in a state of slavery, though 
 their tyrant happened to be a very merciful 
 one, yet could not bear the thoughts of it; so 
 that jEsop, where there was no remedy, pre- 
 scribes to them patience, by the example of 
 the foregoing fable ; and adds, at last, " Where- 
 fore, my dear countrymen, be contented with 
 your present condition, bad as it is, for fear a 
 change should be worse."

 
 149 
 
 FABLE XXXVII. 
 
 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 toge- 
 ther, and killed the cock ; thinking that, when 
 the alarm was gone, they might enjoy them- 
 selves in their warm beds a little longer. The 
 Old Woman, grieved for the loss of her cock, 
 and having, by some means or other, disco-
 
 150 
 
 vered 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 precipi- 
 tately quit our present condition of life, we 
 may to our sorrow find, with the old saying, 
 that seldom comes a better. Before we at- 
 tempt 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. Griev- 
 ances, if really such, ought by all means to
 
 151 
 
 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.
 
 153 
 
 FABLE XXXVIII. 
 
 THE LION, THE BEAR, AND THE FOX, 
 
 A LION and a Bear fell together by the ears 
 over the carcase of a fawn which they found 
 in the forest, their title to him being to be de- 
 cided 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 they were not able to strike 
 another stroke. Thus, while they lay upon the 
 ground, panting, and lolling out their tongues,
 
 154 
 
 a Fox chanced to pass by that way, who, per- 
 ceiving how the case stood, very impudently 
 stept 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 re- 
 cover 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
 
 155 
 
 which has drawn in many to their ruin. Other* 
 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 pro- 
 perty ; it being, generally speaking, much safer 
 to trust to the arbitration of two or three ho- 
 nest sensible neighbours, than, at a vast expence 
 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
 
 156 
 
 may venture to affirm, that if men preserved a 
 strict regard to justice and honesty in their deal- 
 ings with each other, and upon any mistake or 
 misapprehension were always ready to refer 
 the matter to disinterested umpires, of acknow- 
 ledged judgment and integrity, they never could 
 have the least occasion for lawyers. When peo- 
 ple 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 da- 
 'mages into the bargain?
 

 
 157 
 
 FABLE XXXIX. 
 
 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 over- 
 turn 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
 
 158 
 
 by one into the Pitcher ; and thus, by degrees, 
 raised the water up to the very brim, and sa- 
 tisfied 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 pene- 
 tration, upon encountering a difficulty or two, 
 does not immediately despair ; but, if he can- 
 not 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 en- 
 joying the conveniences of life, why should 
 we stand upon ceremony about the methods 
 of obtaining them, or pay any deference to
 
 159 
 
 antiquity upon that score? If almost every age 
 had not exerted itself in some new improve- 
 ments 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 man- 
 kind 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
 
 160 
 
 and useful improvement, like a happy adven- 
 turer at sea, discovers, as it were, an unknown 
 land, and imports an additional trade into his 
 own country.
 
 161 
 
 FABLE XL. 
 
 THE PORCUPINE AND THE SNAKES. 
 
 A PORCUPINE, wanting to shelter himself, de- 
 sired 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 re- 
 pented 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; fot 4 my 
 part, I am well enough satisfied as I am/ 
 VOL. i. M
 
 162 
 
 APPLICATION 
 
 Some people are of so brutish, inhospitable 
 tempers, that there is no living with them, with- 
 out greatly incommoding ourselves. Therefore, 
 before \ve enter into any degree of friendship, 
 alliance, or partnership, with any person what- 
 ever, 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, other- 
 wise 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 great- 
 est intimacy persons whom they know little 
 of, but by false and uncertain lights. Thus 
 they sometimes receive a Viper into their bo-
 
 163 
 
 som 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 enjoy- 
 ment, 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 doc- 
 trine 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, 
 M2
 
 164 
 
 should be narrowly and cautiously inspected, 
 before we embark with them in the same ves- 
 sel, lest we should alter our mind when it is 
 too late, and think of regaining the shore afte? 
 we have launched out of our depth.
 
 165 
 
 FABLE XLI. 
 
 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 a plenty of them) were 
 so terribly frighted that they run like mad all 
 over the place, resolving to seek out some re- 
 treat 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
 
 166 
 
 upon an adjoining common, bad not run far 
 before their course was stopt by that of a gen lie 
 brook which glided across the way they in- 
 tended to take. This was so grievous a disap- 
 pointment 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 approah, leapt into the 
 stream in great confusion, and dived to the very 
 bottom for fear: which a cunning old puss ob- 
 serving, 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 mi- 
 serable of any upon earth; but rather, by their 
 example, learn to bear patiently those inconve- 
 niences which our nature has thrown upon us/
 
 167 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 This fable is designed to shew us how un- 
 reasonable many people are for living in such 
 continual fears and disquiets about the miser- 
 ableness 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 un- 
 wise 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 our- 
 selves unhappy by as many degrees as there 
 are others greater than we, why then the great- 
 est 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
 
 168 
 
 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 creat- 
 ing 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 
 mo lion 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 fear- 
 ful as themselves.
 
 169 
 
 FABLE XLII. 
 
 THE FOX AND THE WOLF. 
 
 THE Wolf having laid in store of provision, 
 kept close at home, and made much of him- 
 self. The Fox observed this, and thinking it 
 something particular, went to visit him, the 
 better to inform himself of the truth of the mat- 
 ter. The Wolf excused himself from seeing 
 him, by pretending he was very much indis- 
 posed. 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
 
 170 
 
 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 direc- 
 tions, 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 in 
 informations against criminals and enemies of 
 the public is in itself odious, for it is com- 
 mendable; but the circumstances and manner 
 of doing it oftentimes make it a vile and de- 
 testable 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 bar- 
 gain, 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 con- 
 tented with one single villany; and there is no.
 
 172 
 
 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.
 
 173 
 
 FABLE XLIII. 
 
 THE DOG AND THE SHEER 
 
 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 bare- 
 faced villany is protected and encouraged, when
 
 174 
 
 innocence is obnoxious, honesty contemptible, 
 and it is reckoned criminal to espouse the cause 
 of virtue. Men originally entered into cove- 
 nants and civil compacts with each other for 
 the promotion of their happiness and well- 
 being, for the establishment of justice and pub- 
 lic peace. How comes it then that they look 
 stupidly on, and tamely acquiesce, when wicked 
 men pervert this end, and establish an arbi- 
 trary tyranny of their own, upon the founda- 
 tion 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 govern- 
 ment, and to exercise all kinds of injustice and
 
 175 
 
 hardship, in gratifying their own vicious lusts. 
 Wherever such enormities are practised, it is 
 when a few rapacious statesmen combine to- 
 gether to get and secure the power in their own 
 hands, and agree to divide the spoils 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.
 
 ' ~ - ' " ;
 
 177 
 
 FABLE XLIV. 
 
 - J 
 
 THE PEACOCK AND THE CRANE. 
 
 THE Peacock and the Crane by chance met 
 together in the same place. The Peacock erect- 
 ing 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. 
 VOL. i N
 
 178 
 
 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 mas- 
 ter of some good quality of which we are inca- 
 pable. 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
 
 179 
 
 speaks complacence and humility, stamps an 
 estimate upon the professor, which all judicious 
 spectators are ready to admire and acknow- 
 ledge. But if there be any merit in an em- 
 broidered 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 if justly belongs to the several 
 artisans who wrought and disposed the mate- 
 rials of which they consist. This moral is not 
 intended to derogate any thing from the mag- 
 nificence 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,
 
 181 
 
 FABLE XLV. 
 
 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
 
 182 
 
 upon him after any manner whatsoever : par- 
 ticularly how we let our tongues slip in cen- 
 suring the actions of those who are, in the 
 opinion of the world, not only of an un- 
 questioned reputation, so that nobody will be- 
 lieve 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.

 
 183 
 
 FABLE XLVI. 
 
 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 crow- 
 ing of a Cock; so that he no sooner heard the 
 voice of that bird, but he betook him to his 
 heels, and ran 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
 
 184 
 
 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: 6 Alas! fool that 
 I was, knowing the cowardice of my own na- 
 ture, 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 shew them- 
 selves men of fire, spirit, and courage: but 
 these being qualities, of which they are not 
 the right owners, they generally expose them- 
 selves, and shew the little title they have to 
 them, by endeavouring to exert and produce 
 them at unseasonable times, or with improper
 
 185 
 
 persons. A bully, for fear you should find 
 him out to be a co\vard, 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 pro- 
 tect him, falsely concludes from thence, that 
 the person with whom he made free is a greater 
 coward than himself; so that he not only con- 
 tinues 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 chastise- 
 ment; than which nothing is more equitable 
 in itself, or agreeable to the discreet part of 
 mankind.



 
 187 
 
 FABLE XLVII. 
 
 THE JACKDAW AND PEACOCKS. 
 
 A CERTAIN Jackdaw was so proud and am- 
 bitious, 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 him- 
 self 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 presump- 
 tion deserved. Upon this, full of grief and
 
 188 
 
 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 ad- 
 mit him into their company ; and one of them, 
 at the same time, gave him this serious re- 
 proof c If, friend, you could have been con- 
 tented 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 yon/ 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 What we may learn from this fable is, in 
 the main, to live contentedly in our own con- 
 dition, whatever it be, without affecting to 
 look bigger than we are by a false or borrowed 
 light. To be barely pleased with . appear-
 
 189 
 
 ing 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. 
 
 END OF THE FIRST VOLUME, 
 
 T. Bensiey, Printer, 
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