Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/108

54 Governments, as to Private Families. For a Prince's Leaving his Bus'nes Wholly to his Minitcrs without a Strict Eye over them in their Repective Offices and Functions, is as Dangerous an Errour in Politiques, as a Maters Committing All to his Servant is in Oeconomicks. It is Effectually a Tranlation of the Authority, when a Superior truts himelf Implicitly to the Faith, Care, Honety and Dicretion of an Inferior. To ay nothing of the Temptation to Bribery and Fale Dealing, when o much may be Gotten by’t with o Little Hazzard, either of Dicovery, or Punihment. Beide the Deperate Inconvenience of Setting up a Wrong Interet, by drawing Applications out of the Proper Channel; and Committing the Authority and Duty of the Mater co the Honely and Dicretion of the Servant. Men will be True to Themelves how Faithles foever to One Another.

Certain Lyon that had got a Politique Fit of Sicknes, made it his Obervation, that of All the Beats in the Forret, the Fox never came at him: And o he wrote him Word how Ill he Was, and how Mighty Glad he hould be of his Company, upon the Score of Ancient Friendhip and Acquaintance. The Fox return’d the Complement with a Thouand Prayers for his Recovery; but as for Waiting upon him, he deir'd to be Excusd; For (ays he) I find the Traces of abundance of Feet Going In to Your Majeties Palace, and not One that comes Back again.

There’s but a Hair’s Breadth here, betwixt an Office of Great Piety, Humanity and Virtu; and an Action of Extreme Folly, Improvidence, and Hazzard. But the Fox aw thorough the Complement, and that it was, in Truth, but an Invitation of him to his Own Funcral. We meet with many of Thee Dangerous Civilities in the World, wherein 'tis a Hard Matter for a Man to Save, both his Skin, and his Credit.

'Tis a Difficult Point to Hit the True Medium, betwixt Truting too Much, and too Little, for fear of Incurring a Danger on the One Hand, or giving a Scandal on the Other. Complements are only Words of Coure, and though One External Civility may be Current Payment for Another, yet a Man would be loth to Venture his All upon a Figure of Speech, where the Meaning is o Nicely Divided betwixt Jet and Earnet. 'Tis a Bae Thing to upect a Fricnd, or an Honet Man; Nay 'tis a Bae Thing to upect any Man, that but Looks like One; o