REFLEXION.
MEN Mind the Pleaſure, and the Satisfaction of a Fancy, or a Looſe Appetite more then they do Better Things; and they are ſooner brought to Themſelves, and ſet Right by the Innuendo of a Parable, then by the Dint of direct Reaſon. There are many Men that are Infinitely Tender in Point of Honour, and have very little Regard yet upon the Main, to Truth and Equity. Now ſuch People as Theſe are ſooner Wrought upon by Shame then by Conſcience, when they find themſelves Fool’d and Shamm’d (as we ſay) into a Conviction. This Fable tells us what we Ought to do in the Caſe of Attending to Inſtructive and Profitable Counſels. It tells us alſo what we are apt to do, in Heark'ning after Fooleries: and loſing the Opportunity of Hearing and Learning Better Things. And it ſhews us in fine, the force of an Allegory betwixt Jeſt and Earneſt; which in ſuch a Caſe as This, is certainly the moſt Artificial, Civil, and Effectual Manner of Reproach. I call it a Reproach; for 'tis an Affront to Good Manners as well as to Ordinary Prudence, not to Hearken to a Man of Authority; That is to ſay, to the Voice of Wiſdom, when ſhe ſpeaks to us out of the Mouth of a Philoſopher. Men that have Wand'ring Thoughts at ſuch a Lecture, deſerve as well to be Whipt, as Boys for Playing at Puſh-Pin, when they ſhould be Learning their Leſſon: Beſide, that it is only Another way of calling a Man Fool, when no Heed is given to what he ſays. Now Demades that Underſtood both his Bus'neſs, and the Weak ſide of Humane Nature perfectly Well, never troubled his Head to bring his Auditory to their Wits again by the Force of Dry and Sober Reaſon; but Circumvented them by a Delicate Figure, into a Curioſity that led them Naturally to a Better Senſe of their Intereſt, and their Duty.
Fab. CCLIV.
A Fox and a Hedge Hog.
ÆSop brought the Samians to their Wits again out of a moſt Deſperate Sedition with This Fable.
A Fox, upon the Croſſing of a River, was forc'd away by the Current into an Eddy, and there he lay with Whole Swarms of Flies, Sucking and Galling of him. There was a Water Hedge Hog (we muſt Imagine) at hand, that in Pure Pity Offer'd to Beat away the Flies from him. No, No, ſays the Fox, Pray let 'em Alone, for the Flies that are upon me now are e'en Burſting full already, and can do me little more Hurt then they have done: But when Theſe are gone once, there will be a Company you ſhall ſee of Starv'd Hungry Wretches to take their Places, that will not leave ſo much as One Drop of Blood in the Whole Body of me.
The
