FABLE XCVI.
THE MAN AND HIS GOOSE.]
A certain Man had a Goose, which laid him a golden egg every day. But,not contented with this, which rather increased than abated his avarice,he was resolved to kill the Goose, and cut up her belly, that so hemight come at the inexhaustible treasure which he fancied she had withinher. He did so; and, to his great sorrow and disappointment, foundnothing.
APPLICATION.
They who are of such craving impatient tempers, that they cannot livecontented when fortune has blessed them with a constant and continuedsufficiency, deserve even to be deprived of what they have. And this hasbeen the case of many ambitious and covetous men, who, by making anessay to grow very rich at once, have missed what they aimed at, andlost what they had before. But this comes so near the sense of theforty-seventh fable, that the same application may very well serve forboth. If any thing further can be couched in this, it may possibly beintended to show us the unreasonableness and inconvenience of beingsolicitous about what may happen hereafter, and wanting to pry into thewomb of futurity: which if we could do, all we should get for our painswould be, to spoil our pleasures by anticipation, and double ourmisfortunes by a previous sense and apprehension of them. There are somethings that entertain and delight us very agreeably while we view themat a proper distance; which, perhaps, would not stand the test of a toonear inspection. Beauty, being only the external form of a thing whichstrikes the eye in a pleasing manner, is a very thin glossy being, and,like some nice paintings of a peculiar composition, will not well beareven to be breathed on: to preserve our good opinion of it, we must notapproach too close; for if, like the man in the fable, we have a mind tosearch for a treasure within, we may not only fail of our expectationsthere, but even lose the constant relish we enjoyed from a remotercontemplation.
FABLE XCVII.
THE DOG AND THE WOLF.]
A lean, hungry, half-starved Wolf, happened, one moonshiny night, tomeet with a jolly, plump, well-fed mastiff; and, after the firstcompliments were passed, says the Wolf--'You look extremely well; Iprotest, I think, I never saw a more graceful comely person. But howcomes it about, I beseech you, that you should live so much better thanI? I may say, without vanity, that I venture fifty times more than youdo; and yet I am almost ready to perish with hunger.'--The Dog answeredvery bluntly--'Why you may live as well, if you will do the same for itthat I do.'--'Indeed! What is that?' says he.--'Why,' says the Dog,'only to guard the house a nights, and keep it from thieves.'--'Withall my heart,' replies the Wolf, 'for at present I have but a sorry timeof it; and, I think, to change my hard lodging in the woods, where Iendure rain, frost, and snow, for a warm roof over my head, and a bellyfull of good victuals, will be no bad bargain.'--'True,' says the Dog;'therefore you have nothing more to do but to follow me.' Now, as theywere jogging on together, the Wolf spied a crease in the Dog's neck,and, having a strange curiosity, could not forbear asking him what itmeant.--'Pugh! nothing,' says the Dog. 'Nay, but pray,'--says the Wolf.'Why,' says the Dog, 'if you must know, I am tied up in the day-time,because I am a little fierce, for fear I should bite people, and am onlylet loose a nights. But this is done with design to make me sleep adays, more than any thing else, and that I may watch the better in thenight-time; for, as soon as ever the twilight appears, out I am turned,and may go where I please. Then my master brings me plates of bones fromthe table with his own hands, and whatever scraps are left by any of thefamily, all fall to my share; for you must know I am a favourite withevery body. So you see how you are to live.--Come, come along; what isthe matter with you?'--'No,' replied the Wolf, 'I beg your pardon; keepyour happiness all to yourself. Liberty is the word with me; and I wouldnot be a king upon the terms you mention.'
APPLICATION.
The lowest condition of life, with freedom attending it, is better thanthe most exalted station under a restraint. AEsop and Phaedrus, who hadboth felt the bitter effects of slavery, though the latter of them hadthe good fortune to have the mildest prince that ever was for hismaster, cannot forbear taking all opportunities to express their greatabhorrence of servitude, and their passion for liberty, upon any termswhatsoever. Indeed, a state of slavery, with whatever seeming grandeurand happiness it may be attended, is yet so precarious a thing, that hemust want sense, honour, courage, and all manner of virtue, who canendure to prefer it in his choice. A man who has so little honour as tobear to be a slave, when it is in his power to prevent or redress it,would make no scruple to cut the throats of his fellow creatures, or todo any wickedness that the wanton unbridled will of his tyrannicalmaster could suggest.
FABLE XCVIII.
THE WOOD AND THE CLOWN.]
A country Fellow came one day into the Wood, and looked about him withsome concern; upon which the Trees, with a curiosity natural to someother creatures, asked him what he wanted.--He replied--'That he onlywanted a piece of wood to make a handle to his hatchet.' Since that wasall, it was voted unanimously, that he should have a piece of good,sound, tough ash. But he had no sooner received and fitted it for hispurpose, than he began to lay about him unmercifully, and to hack andhew without distinction, felling the noblest trees in all the forest.Then the Oak is said to have spoke thus to the Beech in a lowwhisper,--'Brother, we must take it for our pains.'
APPLICATION.
No people are more justly liable to suffer than they who furnish theirenemies with any kind of assistance. It is generous to forgive; it isenjoined us by religion to love our enemies; but he that trusts anenemy, much more contributes to the strengthening and arming of him, mayalmost depend upon repenting him for his inadvertent benevolence; andhas, moreover, this to add to his distress, that, when he might haveprevented it, he brought his misfortune upon himself by his owncredulity.
Any person in a community, by what name or title soever distinguished,who affects a power which may possibly hurt the people, is an enemy tothat people, and therefore they ought not to trust him: for though hewere ever so fully determined not to abuse such a power, yet he is sofar a bad man, as he disturbs the people's quiet, and makes them jealousand uneasy by desiring to have it, or even retaining it, when it mayprove mischievous. If we consult history, we shall find that the thingcalled Prerogative has been claimed and contended for chiefly by thosewho never intended to make a good use of it; and as readily resigned andthrown up by just and wise princes, who had the true interest of theirpeople at heart. How like senseless stocks do they act, who, bycomplimenting some capricious mortal, from time to time, with parcels ofprerogative, at last put it out of their power to defend and maintainthemselves in their just and natural liberty!
FABLE XCIX.
THE OLD LION.]
A Lion, worn out with old age, lay fetching his last gasp, and agonizingin the convulsive struggles of death. Upon which occasion several of thebeasts, who had formerly been sufferers by him, came and revengedthemselves upon him. The Boar, with his mighty tusks, drove at him in astroke that glanced like lightning. And the Bull gored him with hisviolent horns. Which, when the Ass saw they might do without any danger,he too came up, and threw his heels into the Lion's face. Upon which,the poor old expiring tyrant uttered these words with his last dyinggroan:--'Alas! how grievous is it to suffer insults, even from the braveand the valiant; but to be spurned by so base a creature as this is, whois the disgrace of Nature, is worse than dying ten thousand deaths.'
APPLICATION.
He that would be reverenced and respected by the rest of mankind, mustlay in a foundation for it of some kind or other; for people cannot bepersuaded to pay deference and esteem for nothing. So that, though wehave lived in good repute in the world, if ever we should happen tooutlive our stock, we must not be surprised to find ourselves slightedand affronted, even by the vilest scum of the people. If therefore wewould raise to ourselves a dignity that will continue not only to theend of our lives, but extend itself far down among the ages ofposterity, we should take care to establish it upon a foundation ofvirtue and good-nature: this will not
only preserve us from the insultsof enemies, but, upon occasion, surround us with a trusty guard offaithful and sincere friends.
FABLE C.
THE HORSE AND THE LOADED ASS.]
An idle Horse, and an Ass labouring under a heavy burden, weretravelling the road together; they both belonged to a country fellow,who trudged it on foot by them. The Ass, ready to faint under his heavyload, entreated the Horse to assist him, and lighten his burden, bytaking some of it upon his back. The Horse was ill-natured, and refusedto do it; upon which the poor Ass tumbled down in the midst of thehighway, and expired in an instant. The countryman ungirted hispack-saddle, and tried several ways to relieve him, but all to nopurpose: which, when he perceived, he took the whole burden and laid itupon the Horse, together with the skin of the dead Ass: so that theHorse, by his moroseness in refusing to do a small kindness, justlybrought upon himself a great inconvenience.
APPLICATION.
Self-love is no such ill principle, if it were but well and trulydirected; for it is impossible that any man should love himself to anypurpose, who withdraws his assistance from his friends or the public.Every government is to be considered as a body politic; and every manwho lives in it as a member of that body. Now, to carry on the allegory,no member can thrive better than when they all jointly unite in theirendeavours to assist and improve the whole. If the hand was to refuseits assistance in procuring food for the mouth, they must both starveand perish together. And when those, who are parties concerned in thesame community, deny such assistance to each other, as the preservationof that community necessarily requires, their self-interestedness, inthat case, is ill-directed, and will have a quite contrary effect fromwhat they intended. How many people are so senseless as to think it hardthat there should be any taxes in the nation; whereas, were there to benone indeed, those very people would be undone immediately. That littleproperty they have would be presently plundered by foreign or domesticenemies; and then they would be glad to contribute their quota, evenwithout an act of parliament. The charges of supporting a government arenecessary things, and easily supplied by a due and well proportionedcontribution. But, in a narrower and more confined view, to be ready toassist our friends upon all occasions, is not only good, as it is an actof humanity, but highly discreet, as it strengthens our interest, andgives us an opportunity of lightening the burden of life.
FABLE CI.
THE OLD MAN AND DEATH.]
A poor feeble old man who had crawled out into a neighbouring wood togather a few sticks, had made up his bundle, and, laying it over hisshoulders was trudging homeward with it; but, what with age, and thelength of the way, and the weight of his burden, he grew so faint andweak that he sunk under it: and, as he sat on the ground, called uponDeath to come, once for all, and ease him of his troubles. Death nosooner heard him, but he came and demanded of him what he wanted. Thepoor old creature, who little thought Death had been so near, andfrighted almost out of his senses with his terrible aspect, answered himtrembling, that having by chance let his bundle of sticks fall, andbeing too infirm to get it up himself, he had made bold to call upon himto help him: that, indeed, this was all he wanted at present; and thathe hoped his worship was not offended with him for the liberty he hadtaken in so doing.
APPLICATION.
This fable gives us a lively representation of the general behaviour ofmankind towards that grim king of terrors, Death. Such liberties do theytake with him behind his back, that, upon every little cross accidentwhich happens in their way, Death is immediately called upon; and theyeven wish it might be lawful for them to finish by their own hands alife so odious, so perpetually tormenting and vexatious. When, let butDeath only offer to make his appearance, and the very sense of his nearapproach almost does the business. Oh, then all they want is a littlelonger life; and they would be glad to come off so well as to have theirold burden laid upon their shoulders again. One may well conclude whatan utter aversion they, who are in youth, health, and vigour of body,have to dying, when age, poverty, and wretchedness, are not sufficientto reconcile us to the thought.
FABLE CII.
THE BOAR AND THE ASS.]
A little scoundrel of an Ass, happening to meet with a Boar, had a mindto be arch upon him,--'And so, brother,' says he, 'your humble servant.'The Boar, somewhat nettled at his familiarity, bristled up to him, andtold him, he was surprised to hear him utter so impudent an untruth, andwas just going to show his noble resentment, by giving him a rip in theflank; but wisely stifling his passion, he contented himself with onlysaying--'Go, you sorry beast! I could be amply and easily revenged ofyou; but I do not care to foul my tusks with the blood of so base acreature.'
APPLICATION.
Fools are sometimes so ambitious of being thought wits, that they rungreat hazards in attempting to show themselves such. This is not thefirst Ass, who, after a handsome rebuke from one superior to himselfboth in courage and merit, has continued his awkward raillery even tothe last degree of offence. But such a dull creature is so far fromraising himself the least esteem by his ludicrous vein, that he has verygood luck if he escapes with a whole skin. Buffoons, like dwarfs, shouldbe matched with those of their own level; a man, in sense or stature,would be ashamed to encounter either of them. But notwithstanding allthis, and though the Boar in the fable is a very good example to men ofgenerous brave spirits not to give themselves up to passion, nor to bedistempered with thoughts of revenge upon the insolent behaviour ofevery Ass that offends them, because their hands would be dishonoured bythe tincture of a base man's blood; yet among human creatures, thecorrection of an Ass that would be unseasonably witty, may be performedwith justness and propriety enough, provided it be done in good humour.The blood of a coward, literally speaking, would stain the character ofa man of honour; when we chastise such wretches, it should be done, ifpossible, in the utmost calmness of temper. It takes off something fromthe reputation of a great soul, when we see it is in the power of a foolto ruffle and unsettle it.
FABLE CIII.
THE TUNNY AND THE DOLPHIN.]
A fish called a Tunny being pursued by a Dolphin, and driven with greatviolence, not minding which way he went, was thrown by the force of thewaves upon a rock, and left there. His death now was inevitable; but,casting his eyes on one side, and seeing the Dolphin in the samecondition lay gasping by him.--'Well,' says he, 'I must die, it is true;but I die with pleasure, when I behold him who is the cause of itinvolved in the same fate.'
APPLICATION.
Revenge though a blind mischievous passion, is yet a very sweet thing:so sweet, that it can even soothe the pangs and reconcile us to thebitterness of death. And, indeed, it must be a temper highlyphilosophical, that could be driven out of life by any tyrannical unjustprocedure, and not be touched with a sense of pleasure to see the authorof it splitting upon the same rock. When this is allowed, and it isfurther considered how easily the revenge of the meanest person may beexecuted even upon the highest, it should, methinks, keep people upontheir guard, and prevail with them not to persecute or be injurious toany one. The moral turpitude of doing wrong is sufficient to influenceevery brave honest man, and to secure him from harbouring even the leastthought of it in his breast: but the knave and the coward should weighthe present argument, and, before they attempt the least injury, beassured of this truth, that nothing is more sweet, nor scarce any thingso easy to compass, as revenge.
FABLE CIV.
THE PEACOCK AND THE MAGPIE.]
The birds met together upon a time to choose a king; and the Peacockstanding candidate, displayed his gaudy plumes, and catched the eyes ofthe silly multitude with the richness of his feathers. The majoritydeclared for him, and clapped their wings with great applause: but justas they were going to proclaim him, the Magpie stepped forth in themidst of the assembly, and addressed himself thus to the new king--'Mayit please your majesty elect, to permit one of your unworthy subjects torepresent to you his suspicions and apprehensions, in the face of thiswhole congregation: we have chosen y
ou for our king, we have put ourlives and fortunes into your hands, and our whole hope and dependence isupon you; if therefore, the Eagle, or the Vulture, or the Kite, shouldat any time make a descent upon us, as it is highly probable they will,may your majesty be so gracious as to dispel our fears, and clear ourdoubts, about that matter, by letting us know how you intend to defendus against them?'--This pithy unanswerable question drew the wholeaudience into so just a reflection, that they soon resolved to proceedto a new choice. But, from that time, the Peacock has been looked uponas a vain insignificant pretender, and the Magpie esteemed as eminent aspeaker as any among the whole community of birds.
APPLICATION.
Form and outside, in the choice of a ruler, should not be so muchregarded as the qualities and endowments of the mind. In choosing headsof corporations, from the king of the land down to the master of acompany, upon every new election it should be inquired into, which ofthe candidates is most capable of advancing the good and welfare of thecommunity; and upon him the choice should fall. But the eyes of themultitude are so dazzled with pomp and show, noise and ceremony, thatthey cannot see things really as they are: and from hence it comes topass, that so many absurdities are committed and maintained in theworld. People should examine and weigh the real weight and merit of theperson, and not be imposed upon by false colours and pretences of I knownot what.