Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/426

376 that when they could not live upon their Trade, have rai'sd themelves from Cobbling to Fluxing, and taken upon them to cat the Water of a Body Politick, as well as of a Body Natural? This minds me of a Cobbling Colonel of Famous Memory, (and he was a State-man too of the Long Parliament Edition,) to a Lady of Quality in Ireland, She had been o terribly Plunder'd, that the Poor Woman went almot Barefoot: And as he was Warming her Feet once in the Chimny Corner, the Colonel took notice that her Shoes wanted Capping; Lord, Madam, (ays he,) Why d'ye wear no Better Shoes? Why truly Sir, ays he, all the Coblers are turn’d Colonels, and I can get no body to Mend 'em. Now to do Right to the Apologue; there are everal Remarkable Innuendo's in't: Here’s Firt a Coxcomb that Commences Doctor. Secondly, A kind of an Individuum Vagum, dresd up in the Character of a Man of Quality. Thirdly, From being ready to Starve, Himelf, he makes a very good Living out of the Privilege of Poyoning and Detroying other People. Fourthly, It gives us to Undertand the Force of Impudence on the one hand, and of Ignorance on the other for what was it but the Brazen Face of the Quack, aited by the Sillines of the Mobile, that Advanc'd this Uptart from the Stall to the Stage? It is not to be Imagin'd the Power of Tumour and Pretence, Bold Looks, Hard Words, and a Supercilious Brow, upon the Paions of the Multitude. To ay the Truth on't, we are impos'd upon by Botchers, and Men of Forehead, without Common Sene, in all Trades and Profeions, even to the Venturing of Soul, Body, Life and Etate upon their Skill, Honety and Credit. Can any Man look about him in the World now, and cat his Eye and Thought upon Every-days Intances of ome of thee wonderful Improvements and Converions, without Saying to Himelf, The Mythologit Pointed at all thee Men in this Fable? For it holds as well from Foppery to Policy; from Baenes to Honour, and from Beggery to Superfinity, as from Patching to Purging, and from the Stall to the Urinal. But a Tryal of Skill at lat puts him pat his Latin; and when it comes to that once, he'll have more Wit then to Venture his Life upon his Antidote.

Here was a Droll of a Cobler that led a Life as Merry as the Day was Long, and Singing and Joking was his Delight. But it was not altogether o well with a Neighbour of his, though a Great Officer in the Treaury; for there was no Singing, nor hardly any Sleeping under his Roof; Or if he happen’d to Doze a little now and then in a Morning, 'twas Forty to One the Jolly Cobler Wak’d him. How often would he be Wihing to Himelf that Sleep were to be bought in the Market as well as Meat and Drink! While his Head was working upon this Thought, the Toy took him in the Crown