Fears, and is as ſure of being Diſappointed, as he is of the Uncertainty of Human Affairs. Let it be Love, Preferment, Court-Favours, Popularity, or what elſe it will, ſome Rival or other he muſt expect to meet with in all his Pretenſions. The Proud Man's Inclination is Glory, High Place in the World, and the Applauſe of the People. The Envious Mans Heart is ſet upon doing Shrew’d Turns, Defamatory Calumnics and Revenge. In few Words, Violent Affections never fail of being Uneaſie and Importune: But of all Extravagant Paſſions, the Love of Mony is the moſt Dangerous, in regard of the greateſt Variety of Difficulties that attend it. There may be ſome few Pretenders to a Beautiful Lady; ſome few Candidates for the favour of a Popular Choice. But theſe are Competitions that Intermit, and go off and on as it happens, upon this or that Occaſion. But Mony is an Univerſal Miſtreſs; Men are always Watching, Spying, and Deſigning upon’t; and all the Engines of Worldly Wiſdom are perpetually at Work about it: So that whoſoever is Poſſeſs'd of, and Sollicitous for that Intereſt, ſhall never Cloſe his Eyes, ſo long as Craft, Violence, or Conſpiracy, ſhall be able to keep them Waking.
Fab. CCCCIII.
The Eagle, Cat and Sow.
THere was an Eagle, a Cat and a Sow that bred in a Wood together. The Eagle Timber'd upon the top of a High Oak; the Cat Kitten'd in the Hollow Trunck of it, and the Sow lay Pigging at the Bottom. The Cat's Heart was ſet upon Miſchief, and ſo ſhe went with her Tale to the Eagle. Your Majeſty had beſt look to your ſelf, ſays Puſs; for there is moſt certainly a Plot upon ye, and perchance upon Poor me too; for yonder's a Sow lies Grubbing Every Day at the Root of this Tree; Shee'll bring it down at laſt, and then your Little Ones and mine are all at Mercy. So ſoon as ever ſhe had Hammer’d a Jealouſie into the head of the Eagle, away to the Sow ſhe goes, and Figs her in the Crown with another Story; Little do you think what a Danger your Litter is in; there's an Eagle Watching conſtantly upon this Tree to make a Prey of your Pigs, and ſo ſoon as ever you are but out of the way, ſhe will certainly Execute her Deſign, The Cat upon this, goes preſently co her Kittens again, keeping her ſelf upon her Guard all Day, as if ſhe were afraid; and ſteals out ſtill at Night to Provide for her Family. In one Word, the Eagle durſt not ſtir for fear of the Sow; and the Sow durſt not budge for fear of the Eagle: So that they kept themſelves upon their Guard'till
