the Law, though None to Avoid the Guilt of the Sin. There needs no Contract Expreſs; No Explicit Confederacy; for the Conſent, and the Aſſiſtance is Imply'd in receiving the Preſent; Or according to the Word in Faſhion, the [Acknowledgment:] which is only a Softer Name for a Bribe. Now this Acknowledgment is of the Nature of a Direct Bargain, where the Sum, or the Reward is agreed upon before the Thing be done; though there's room yet for a Diſtinction, even in Theſe Caſes, betwixt what's done Openly and Barefac'd, and a Thing that's done in Hugger mugger, under a Seal of Secrecy and Concealment. But the Conſcience at laſt is the Beſt Judg of the Fraud. And without any more Words, the Dog in the Fable perform'd All the Parts of a Truſty Servant.
Fab. XXII
A Wolf and a Sow.
A Wolf came to a Sow that was juſt lying down, and very kindly offer'd to take care of her Litter. The Sow as Civily thank'd her for her Love, and deſir'd ſhe would be pleas'd to ſtand off a little, and do her the Good Office at a Diſtance.
The Moral.
REFLEXION.
All Men are not to be Believ'd, or Truſted in All Caſes; for People Generally Speaking are kind to their Neighbours for their Own Sakes. [Timeo Danaos, & Dona ferentes] A Wiſe Man will keep himſelf upon his Guard againſt the whole World, and more Eſpecially againſt a Known Enemy, but moſt of All againſt that Enemy in the Shape of a Friend. As the Sow had more Wit than to Entertain a Wolf for her Nurſe.
Fab. XXIII.
A Mountain in Labour.
WHen Mountains cry out, people may well be Excus'd the Apprehenſion of ſome Prodigious Birth. This was the Caſe here in the Fable. The Neighbourhood were All at their Wits end, to conſider what would be the iſſue of That Labour, and inſtead of the Dreadful Monſter that they Expected, Out comes at laſt a Ridiculous Mouſe.
