Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/65

Rh Sport before; but he made a Shift however for the preent, to link into a Corner, where he lay Trembling and Panting till the Company went their Way. So oon as ever the Houe was Quiet again, Well: My Court Siter, ays he, If This be the Way of Your Town-Gamboles, I'll e'en back to my Cottage, and my Mouldy Cheee again; for I had much rather lie Knabbing of Cruts, without either Fear or Danger, in my Own Little Hole, than be Mitres of the Whole World with Perpetual Cares and Alarums.

Deign of This Fable is to et forth the Advantages of a Private Life, above Thoe of a Publick; which are certainly very Great, if the Bleings of Innocence, Security, Meditation, Good Air, Health, and ound Sleeps, without the Rages of Wine, and Lut, or the Contagion of Idle Examples, can make them o: For Every Thing there, is Natural and Gracious. There's the Diverion of All Healthful Exercies for the Body: The Entertainment of the Place, and of the Rivers, without any Bae Interet to Corrupt, either the Virtue, or the Peace of our Lives. He that's a Slave in the Town is a kind of a Petty Prince in the Country. He loves his Neighbours, without Pride, and lives in Charity with the Whole World. All that he fees is his Own, as to the Delight of it, without Envying the Properity. His Doors are not Troubled with either Dunns, or Fools, and he has the Sages of All Times in his Cabinet for his Companions. He lives to Himelf as well as to the World, without Brawles or Quarrels, of any ort whatoever. He ees No Bloody Murders; He hears No Blaphemous Execrations; He lives free from the Plagues of Jealouie and Envy: And This is the Life in fine, that the Greatet, and the Wiet Men in the World, Have, or would have made Choice of, if Cares and Buines had not Hinder'd them from o Great a Bleing.

'Tis againt Common Jutice to pas Sentence without hearing Both ides: And the Only way to come to a True Etimate upon the Odds betwixt a Publick and a Private Life, is to Try Both. Virtue is only Glorious in the Native Simplicity of it, and while it holds no Communication with Interet, Fancy, Sene, or Ornament: Wherefore Æop has done Wiely to cat the Iue of the Quetion upon the Experiment, Far from Jupiter (ays the Adage) far from the Thunder. What ignifies the Splendor, and the Luxury of Courts, conidering the Slavih Attendances, the Invidious Competitions, and the Mortal Diappointments that go along with it. The Frowns of Princes, and the Envy of thoe that Judge by Hearay, or Appearance; without either Reaon or Truth! To ay nothing of the Innumerable Temptations, Vices, and Excees, of a Life of Pomp, and Pleaure. Let a man but et the Pleaing of his Palate againt the Surfeits of Gluttony and Exces, The Starving of his Mind againt a Pamper'd Carcas; The Retles Importunities of Tale-bearers and Back Friends, againt Fair Words and Profeions only from Rh