Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/380

330 by Rule, and Conults the Concience of his Actions, without any Regard to Popular Applaue. Did ever any Mortal yet in his Right Wits, Advie with the Mobile about the Government of his Life and Manners? (Or which is all one, with the Common and Profeed Enemies of Reaon and Virtue,) Did ever any Creature make a Friend or Confident of them? Why hould we be ollicitous then to be thought well of by thoe that no Prudent Good Man ever thought well of? They are all Paion and Fancy, without either Judgment or Moderation: They neither undertand what they do, nor why; but act with a kind of Impetus, that knows neither Conideration nor Conduct. So that it is in truth, a Scandal, and an Ill Sign to Pleae them; but a wore yet, for a Man to Value himelf upon the Reputation of a Popular Favour. What are their Affections but Violent Tranports that are carried on by Ignorance and Rage? What are their Thoughts of Things, but variety of Incorrigible Error? And what are they themelves in their own Nature, but a Herd rather than a Society? Their Humour is very Happily et forth in this Fable; and o is the Vanity of the Old Man's endeavouring to keep Fair with them; for they are till unatisfied with the Preent State of Things, and conequently never to be Pleaed. Now if a Man had nothing ele to do but to Fool away his Days in the Puruit of Phantomes and Shadows, and then at lat lye down in the Dut like a Brute, without any Fear or Danger of an after-Reckoning, the Care were taken; but for a Reaonable Soul to Pot-pone the mot Neceary Offices and Duties of Life, and to Hazzard the very los even of Heaven it elf, in favour of a Depraved Appetite? What has he to Anwer for, that hall be found Guilty of o Impious a Madnes? The very Dog's not worth the Hanging, that runs out at Check, and lets every Cackling Crow or Daw Divert him from his Game and Buines. To Conclude; a due Conideration of the Vanities of the World, will Naturally bring us to the Contempt of it; and that Contempt of the World will as certainly bring us Home to our Selves, This was the Cae of the Poor Man here, when he had Try'd this, and that, and other Experiment, he threw all his Care and Follies together with his As into the River: And then he was at Ret.

Man fancied in his Sleep once, that he was carried by the Devil into a Field to Dig for Gold, where he found a Great Treaure; o the Devil advied him not to take it away with him at preent, but rather to leave ome particular Mark upon the Place; that he might find it another time. What Mark? ays the Dreamer. E'en down with your Breeches quoth the Devil, and lay your Tail there; my Life for yours, do but keep your own Councel, and no Body will look for Gold in