REFLEXION.
A Good Man would not Willingly lye under any Obligation to a Perſon of a Lewd Character and Converſation; fer beſide the Danger he Incurrs, it would not be for his Credit neither, where Preſents are Scandals, and rather Snares then Benefits. 'Tis a kind of Incumbrance upon the freedom of a Generous Mind, to be debt to an Ill Man, even upon any Score whatſoever, that does but carry the face of Good Will, or Reſpet; for ’tis a Debt that a Man's both Aſham'd and Weary of ’till 'tis paid off. He lives uneaſily under the Burden of it, and Conſequently, it is the Debt of All Others that ought firſt to be Anſwer’d. And there's Somthing more in’t yet too, which is, that when All Common Scores are made even, the Morality of the Obligation ſtill remains; for there’s no Cancelling the Bonds of Honor and Juſtice. Kindneſſes are to be paid in ſpecie, as well as Mony. That is to ſay, there muſt be Affection in the Return, as well as Juſtice. Now as there can be No True Friendſhip betwixt a Good Man and a Wicked Man, there ſhould be no Intercourſe betwixt them that looks like Friendſhip, and therefore the Leſs Commerce the Better. As Jupiter, we ſee, would have Nothing to do with the Serpent.
Fab. CXXXIX.
A Flea and a Man.
A Fellow finding ſomewhat Prick him, Popt his Finger A upon the Place, and it prov'd to be a Flea. What art thou, ſays he, for an Animal, to Suck thy Livelyhood out of My Carcaſs? Why 'tis the Livelyhood, (ſays the Flea) that Nature has Allotted me, and My Stinging is not Mortal neither. Well, ſays the Man, but 'tis Troubleſome however; and now I Have ye, I ll ſecure ye for ever Hurting me again, either Little or Much.
The Moral.
REFLEXION.
