Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/186

132 directly Bible-Mad, and up to the Ears still in the Dark Prophets, and the Revelation. In the Year 1688, When the Original Contracters were met in Councel abont Settling the Government, a very good Poor Woman carried her Little Trunks and Boxes to Weld-Houe for Protection, for fear of the Mobile. The Houe was Rifled, and her Trinkets went away with the Ret. Upon this Los he fell Idle Headed; and to This very Day the tands like the Bramble in the Fable, neare the place till, (where the Innocent Creature Lives) Catching of People by the Coats, and Asking them about her Trunks and Boxes: Pray, ays he, ''When hall I have my Things again? My Trunks are not come home yet, &c.'' The Doctrine upon the Whole is no more then This, That we are not to et our Hearts upon the Things of This World; for All Emotions of the Mind have omewhat in them of the Freake; and the only Way to be Happy and Quiet, is to make all Contingencies Indifferent to us.

Poor Lark Enter'd into a Mierable Expotulation with a Bird-Catcher, that had Taken her in his Net, and was jut about to put her to Death. Alas (ays he) What am I to Dye for now? I am no Thief; I have Stoln neither Gold, nor Silver; but for Making Bold with One Pityful Grain of Corn am I now to Suffer.

‘ a Folly, ays the Old Moral, for People to run Great Hazard for mall Advantage. And why may it not as well Reflet upon the Cruelty of taking away the Life of a Poor Innocent Creature for making bold with One Miferable Grain of Corn, when he was Hungry. But This is All Fore'd, and in Truth, it is a Dry Fable with Little or Nothing in't,

Or to Turn it Another Way yet, Here’s the Life of a Poor Creature in Quetion, and the Lark Expotulates, and Pleades Not Guilty, but the Belly has No Eares, and the Bird-Catcher is o Intent upon his Interet, and Appetite, that he gives no Heed at all to the Equity of the Plea, which is but according to the Coure of the World, when people Meaure Right or Wrong by the Rule of their Own Profit or Los. 'Tis Paion and Partiality that Govern in All Thee Caes.

Certain Covetous, Rich Churle Sold his Whole Etate, and put it into Mony, and then Melted down That Mony again into One Mas, which he Bury'd in the ground, with his very