REFLEXION.
NATURE has Aſſign’d Every Creature it’s Proper Place and Station; and an Aſs in a Bog is out of his Element, and out of his Province. The Fable it ſelf has not Much in’t; but it may ſerve to Teach us in the Moral, that it is a High Point of Honour, and Chriſtianity, to bear Misfortunes, with Reſolution, and Conſtancy of Mind: And that Steadineſs, is a Point of Prudence, as well as of Courage; for People are the Lighter, and the Eaſier for't. But it was an Aſs, we ſee, that Complain'd, and (if a Body may play the Fool with him) he was but an Aſs for Complaining: firſt, of what he could not Help; and 2ly, to be never the Better for't. 'Tis with a Man in Goal, much at the Rate as it was with this aſs in the Bog. He's Sullen and out of Humour at his firſt coming In; the Pris’ners Gather about him,and there He tells 'em his Caſe Over and Over I warrant ye. Some make Sport with him; Others Pity him, and this is the Trade they drive for the Firſt Four or Five Days perhaps; but ſo ſoon as the Qualm is over, the Man comes to himſelf again; makes merry with his Companions, and ſince he cannot be in his Own Houſe, he reckons Himſelf as good as at Home in the very Priſon. ‘Tis the ſame Thing with a Bird in a Cage; when ſhe has Flutter’d her ſelf a Weary, ſhe ſits down and Sings. This ’tis to be Wonted to a Things. And were it not a Scandal now, if Philoſophy ſhould not do as much with us as Cuſtom, without leaving it to Neceſſity to do the Office of Vertue. It might be added to this Moral, that what's Natural to One may be Grievous to Another. The Frogs would have been as much at a Loſs in the Stable, as the Aſs was in the Bog.
Fab. CXCIII.
A Gall'd Aſs and a Raven.
AS an Aſs with a Gall’d Back was Feeding in a Meadow, a Raven Pitch’d upon him, and there Sate, Jobbing of the Sore. The Aſs fell a Frisking and Braying upon’t; which ſet a Groom that ſaw it at a Diſtance, a Laughing at it. Well! (ſays a Wolfe that was Paſſing by) to ſee the Injuſtice of the World now! A Poor Wolfe in that Ravens Place, would have been Perſecuted, and Hunted to Death preſently; and ’tis made only a Laughing-Matter, for a Raven to do the Same Thing, that would have Coſt a Wolfe his Life.
The MORAL.
One Man may better Steal a Horſe, then Another Look over the Hedge.
RE-
