Page:Homer in a Nutshell, or, His War Between the Frogs and the Mice - Parker (1700).djvu/6

 For what relates to the Scope and Import of the Fable, I am not persuaded with Aristobulus, that Homer compos'd it only for the Diversion and Exercise of School-Boys; the Design appears to have been more momentous, it carries a Face of Instruction upon the Matter of Civil Government, and the Moral is plainly Political. In the occasion of the War between the Frogs and the Mice, we see with what miserable Consequences the generous Credulity of a Prince on one hand abus'd by the Craftiness and Treachery of a Neighbour on the other, is like to be attended. On the part of the Mouse, 'twas imprudent to repose so great Confidence in a Politician of a distinct or rather opposite Interest and Temper, tho' on the part of the Frog 'twas not only a bold Violation of Divine and Humane Laws to play such a Game, but still more impolitick to stir up so Potent an Adversary, and dare the Vengeance not of Heaven alone (for he seems to have troubled his Head little enough about that) but withal of so many well-disciplined resolute Cavaliers, of which Commotions the Issue will ever be fatal to their Author, how much soever Things may succeed to his Wishes for a Season. The great Distributer of Dues loves to defer his Inflictions as long as his Justice will permit; but when that Period's once expir'd, he sends down both Principal and Interest upon the Heads of the Incorrigible. I confess, the Poet has not intimated so much; nay, has describ'd Jupiter as a malicious Enemy to the Mice. But then we must remember he had represented him before in a State of Indifference, resolv'd with his Family not to interpose in behalf of this Party or that, nor to concern himself otherwise than as an idle Spectator. Indeed, the freedom the Poet took with his Gods, was, in respect of himself, an unpardonable Presumption, and nothing ought to be built upon it, or inferr'd from it. Agen, the Consummation of the Fray gives us to understand, That Superiority and Dominion are the most slippery Things in the World, and have their Vicissitudes of Rising and Sinking as necessarily as two Buckets in a Well. The Mice at first are too hard for the Frogs, and 'twas but Reason to imagine 'em so 'till they had taken their just Revenge: But then the Crabs came upon the Mice in the very Pride of their Victory, and by a course kind of Argument, convinc'd 'em in their turn of the Instability of Human Affairs. Nay, there's yet a further meaning in the Close of the Allegory; for 'though the Frogs deserv'd ten times more than what they suffer'd from the Mice; yet we know, the Mice hod been as little remarkable for strict Morals as the most profligate Animals that e'r mov'd upon all Four. The Temptation of a mouldy Crust cou'd prevail with 'em at any time to break thro' all Obligations of Religion and Honour. The Sugge-