Fables of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists/Fable XCV
Fab. XCV.
A Doctor and his Patient.
PRay Sir How a’ ye Find your self? says the Dr. to his Patient. Why truly, says the Patient; I have had a Violent Sweat. Oh the Best Sign in the World quoth the Dr. And then a little while after he is at it again, with a Pray How d' ye find your Body? Alas, says the T’ other, I have just now such a Terrible Fit of Horror and Shaking upon me! Why this is all as it should be, says the Physician, It shews a Mighty Strength of Nature. And then he comes over him a Third time with the same Question again; Why I am all swell'd, says T’ other, as if I had a Dropsy; Best of All quoth the Doctor; and goes his Way. Soon after This comes one of the Sick Man's Friends to him with the same Question, how he felt himselfe; why truly so Well, says he, that I am e'en ready to Dye, of I know not how many Good Signs and Tokens.
The MORAL.
A Death bed Flattery is the Worst of Treacheries.
REFLEXION.
This gives us to Understand the Practice of the World, and that Flattery and Time-serving Enters into the most Solemn Offices of Mankind To Flatter Foolish Men into a Hope of Life where there is None at all, is much the same Thing with Betraying people into an Opinion, that they are in a Virtuous, and a Happy State, when they are Over-run with Passion, and Drown’d in their Lusts. The One has the same Pernicious Effect upon our Minds, that the Other has upon our Bodies; for it makes us Careless of Both. There are Certain Decencies of Form, and Civility, 'tis true, that purely regard Matters of Conversation, and Good Manners; And These Respects ought to be Preserv'd; But Ceremonies of Mode and Complement, are mightily out of Season, when Life and Salvation come to be at Stake.
It falls under the Prospect of the same Topique, to Consider, that Kingdoms and Common-Wealths have their Distempers, Intermissions, and Paroxisms, as well as Natural Bodies. And that a Glavering Councel is as Dangerous on the One hand, as a Wheedling Priest, or a Flattering Physician is on the Other. There is hardly such Another Piest in a Community, as a Consort of Parasites, that feed Governours with False Representations and Reports of Men and of Things. They First Betray their Masters to Dishonour, and Ruine; and then when they find the Vessel Sinking, Save themselves in the Long-Boat. So much the Better, quoth the Doctor: Ay, Ay. (says the Empirical Statesman) That's as we'd have it. When at the fame time the Distemper is as Mortal to the Government, on the One hand, as to the Patient on the Other.