Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/35

Rh and if the Tongue be the Key that Leads Us into all Knowledge, what could be more proper and suitable than a Feat of Tongues for a Philoophicall Banquet?

When Xanthus found the Sence of the Table to be on Æop's side; Well my Friends says he; Pray will You Eate with me to Morrow, And I'le try If I can mend your Chear; and M$r$ Major Domo, ays he to Æop, let it be the Care of your Gravity and Widome to Provide us a Supper to Morrow, of the very wort Things You can Think of.

ANTHUS's Guets met again The Next day according to The Appointment; and Æop provided them the very ame Services of Tongues and Tongues over and over, As they had the night before. Sirrah (ays Xanthus to his Servant) what's the Meaning of This; That Tongues hould be the Bet of Meats One Day, and the Wort the Other? Why S$r$ ays he, There is not any Wickednes under the Sun, That the Tongue has not a part in. As Murders, Treaons, Violence, Injutice, Frauds, and All Manner of Lewdnes: for Councells mut be firt Agitated, The Matter in Quetion Debated, Reolv'd upon, and Communicated by Words, before the Malice comes to be executed in Fact. Tongue Whether wilt Thou! (ays the Old Proverb) I go to Build (ays the Tongue,) and I goe to pull downe.

This Petulant Liberty of Æop, Gall'd his Mater to the very Soul of him, and one of the Guets, to Help forward his Evil Humour; Cry'd out, This Fellow is enough to make a Body Mad. S$r$ (ays Æop) you have very Little Buines to doe of your own I perceive, by the Leizure you have to Intermeddle in Other Peoples Matters; You would find ome other Employment ele, then to Irritate a Mater againt his Servant. Rh