Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/128

74 and Fair Allowances of Wit, Good Nature, and Good Breeding. The Skill and Faculty of Governing This Freedom within the Terms ot Sobriety and Dicretion, goes a Great Way in the Character of an Agreeable Converations for That which we call Raillery, in This Sene, is the very Sawce of Civil Entertainment: And without ome uch Tincture of Urbanity, even in Matters the mot Serious, the Good Humour Flattens, for want of Refrehment and Relief: But there’s a Medium yet betwixt All-Fool, and All-Philoopher. I mean, A Proper and a Dicreet Mixture, that in ome ort Partakes of Both, and renders Widom it elf the more Grateful, and Effectual for it, The Gravity, in hort, of the One, is Enliven'd with the Spirit and Quicknes of the Other; and the Gayety of a Diverting Word erves as a Vehicle to Convey the Force of the Intent, and Meaning of it: But the Main Drift at lat of This Fable, is to hew us the Dangerous Conequences of an Improper, and an Uneaonable Fooling: With All Repect however to the Ornament and Advantage of a Facetious Freedom of Di'coure, within the Compas of Sobriety and Honour, To Conclude; The Shepherds Boy went too far upon a Topique that he did not Undertand.

N Eagle made a Stoop at a Lamb; Trus’d it, and took it Cleverly away with her, A Mimical Daw, that aw This Exploit, would needs try the ame Experiment upon a Ram: But his Claws were o Shackled in the Fleece with Lugging to get him up, that the Shepherd came in, and Caught him before he could Cleare Himelf; He Clipt his Wings, and carry'd him Home to his Children to Play withal. They came Gaping about him, and ask’d their Father what Strange Bird that Was? Why, ays he, He'l tell you Himelf that he's an Eagle; but if you'll take My Word for't; I know him to be a Daw.

‘ Vain and Dangerous to Enter into Competitions with our Superiors, in What Kind oever, whether it be in Arms, Letters, Expence, Strength of Body, Arts and Sciences, or the like. 'Tis Impolible for any man, in fine, to take a True Meaure of Another, without an Exact Knowledge and a True Judgment of Himelf. Nay the Attempt of any thing above our Force, with Vanity, and Preumption, mot certainly ends in a Mi