Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/224

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Here's a Petition to Jupiter, in Truth, againt Himelf; and in the Moral, a Complaint to God againt Providence; as if the Harmony of Nature, and or the World; The Order of Men, Things, and Bus’nes, were to be Embroil'd, Diolv'd, or Alter’d, for the ake of o many Aes. What would become of the Univere if there were not Servants as well as Maters? Beats to Draw, and Carry Burdens, as well as Burdens to be Drawn and Carry’d? If there were not Intruments for Drudgery, as well as Offices of Drudgery: If there were not People to Receive and Execute Orders, as well as others to Give and Authorize them? The Demand, in fine, is Unnatural, and Conequently both Weak and Wicked; And it is likewie as Vain, and Unreaonable, to Ask a Thing that is w holly Impoible. But 'tis the Petition of an As at lat, which keeps up the Congruity of the Moral to the Fable.

The Ground of the Requet, is the Fiction of a Complaint, by reaon of Intolerable Burdens. Now we have Grievances to the Life, as well as in Fancy; and Aes in Fleh and Blood too, and in Practice, as well as in Emblem. We have Herds in Society, as well as in the Fields, and in the Forets; And we have Englih too, as well as Arcadian Grievances. What? (Cries the Multitude) are not our Bodies of the ame Clay; and our Souls of the ame Divine Inpiration with our Maters? Under Thee Amuements, the Common People put up o many Appeals to Heaven, from the Powers and Commands of their Lawful Superiors, under the Obloquy of Oppreors; and what Better Anwer can be return’d to All their Clamorous Importunities, then This of Jupiter? Which mot Emphatically ets forth the Neceity of Dicharging the Aes Part; and the Vanity of Propoing to have it done any Other Way. As who hould ay, the Bus’nes of Humane Nature mut be done. Lay your Heads together, and if you can find any way for the doing it, without one ort of People under Another, You hall have Your Asking. But for a Concluion, He that’s born to Work, is out of his Place and Element when he is Idle.

N As Sunk down into a Bog among a Shoale of Frogs, with a Burden of Wood upon his Back, and there he lay, Sighing and Groaning, as his Heart would Break: Hark ye Friend (ays one of the Frogs to him) if you make uch a Bus'nes of Lying in a Quagmire, when you are but jut fall’n into’t, what would you do I Wonder, if You had been here as long as we have been?