Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/400

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Here goes a Story of an Owl that was advied by the Little Birds to Build rather among the Boughs and Leaves as they did, then in Walls and Hollow Trees; and o they hew'd her a Young Tender Plant for her Purpoe. No, No, ays the Owl, thoe Twigs in time will come to be Lim'd, and then you're all Lot if you do but touch em. The Birds gave little Heed tot', and o went on Playing and Chirping among the Leaves till, and paing their Time there in Flocks as formerly; till in the concluion the Sprigs were all Daub'd with Lime, and the Poor Wretches clamm'd and taken, Their Repentance came now too Late; but in Memory of this Notable Intance of the Owls Foreight, the Birds never ee an Owl to this very Day, but they Flock about her and Follow her, as if it were for a New Leon. But our Modern Owls have only the Eyes, the Beak and the Plume of the Owls of Athens, without the Widom.

Wholeom Advice is worth nothing, unles it be (in Truth,) Given as well as taken in Seaon. This Fable hews the Danger and the Michief of either Rejecting, not Heeding, or not Entertaining it; and likewie at the ame time, ets forth how hard a thing it is to faten Profitable Advice upon Men that Indulge themelves in Eae and Pleaure. They look upon it as o much time lot, to employ the Preent upon the thought of the Future; and o by one Delay after another, they pin out their whole Lives, 'till there's no more Future left before 'em. This Dilatory Humour proceeds partly from a Sloathful Lazines of Temper; as I knew a Man that would not be got out of his Bed when the Houe was afire over his Head. Action is Death to ome ort of People, and they'd as live Hang as Work. It aries in a great meaure too from an Habitual Heedles Inadvertency, when Men are o intent upon the Preent, that they mind nothing ele; and Counel is but cat away upon them. Birds of Pleaure, and Men of Pleaure are too Merry to be Wie; and the cae of this Fable is but the common cae of the World. Wholom Advice comes in at one Ear, and goes out at 'tother. Men, in hort, of Blood