Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/185

Rh a Fool, and Security makes many a Fool of a Wie Man. We have an Intance of the Former in the Cocks Over-reaching the Fox, and of the Other, in the Foxes Supine Confidence, that made him o Intent upon his Prey, as to neglect his Safety. Now the Cock, that upon Long Tryal and Obervation, knew the Fox to be the Common Enemy of all Poultrey; had likewie a Dread and Supicion of him by Intint, which made him Naturally Cautious upon the very Principle of Selfe-Preervation. Whereas the Fox, that Truted to his Addres and Manage, without o much as Dreaming of a Cros-Bite from o illy an Animal, fell Himelf into the Pit that he had Digg’d for Another. It is much the ame Cae in the World when Providence is pleas’d to Confound the Fale, the Mighty, and the Bloud-Thirty, by Judgments of Lice and Frogs: That is to ay, by the mot Depicable of Intruments. To put an End to This Moral, It is a wonderful Thing how the very Force of Nature will Exert it elf, in the Meanet and the Weaket of Creatures, in Caes of Extreme Neceity and Danger: As it made the Cock here too hard for the Fox.

Bat, a Bramble, and a Cormorant Enter'd into Covenants with Articles, to joyn Stocks, and Trade in Partnerhip together. The 's Adventure was Ready Mony that he took up at Interet; The Bramble's, was in Cloaths; and the Cormorants, in Bras. They Put to Sea, and it o fell out, that Ship and Goods were Both Lot by Stres of Weather: But the Three Merchants by Providence got afe to Land. Since the Time of this Micarriage, the Bat never Stirrs abroad till Night, for fear of his Creditors. The Bramble lays hold of All the Cloaths he can come at in hope to Light upon his Own again: And the Cormorant is till Sauntering by the Sea-ide, to ee if he can find any of his Bras cat up.

Things that a Man has once et his Heart upon, will hardly be ever got out of his Head, but Every Hint and Occaion will be putting him in mind of 'em again. Ill Habits are not Eayly Cur'd. 'Tis with allmot All People in caes of Fright or Ditration of Mind, as it was with our Merchant Adventurers here. The Lat Impreion ticks Cloet to us. There was a Mierable Wretch in Bedlam that had loft his Wits upon the Firing of a Ship at Sea, and His Head was till running upon Fire and Water inomuch that the very Sight of either of them would put him into an Outrageous Fury. Another that was Mad for Love, would be Beating his Brains perpetually upon Anagrams and Sonnets. Oliver's Enthuiatick Porter, was