The MORAL.
REFLEXION.
'TIS an Old Saying, That Liſtners never hear Well of Themſelves; and Mercury's Curioſity Sped accordingly in This Fable. All Vain Men that Affect Popularity, are apt to Fancy, that Other People have the ſame Opinion of Them,that they have of Themſelves; but Nothing goes Nearer the Heart of ’em, then to Meet with Contempt, inſtead of Applauſe, Eſteem, and Reputation. They Muſter up All their Commiſſions and Charters; as Mercury Values himſelf here, upon the Relation he had to Jupiter; Whoſe Pimp he is, and What's his Bus'neſs. He gives to Underſtand alſo what a Friend the Artizans had at Court, and All too Little, to Gain him the Reſpect, but ſo much as of a Common Meſſenger.
Fab. CLXXI.
Mercury and Tireſias.
MErcury had a Great Mind to try if Tireſias was ſo Famous a Diviner as the World took him for, or not. So he went and Stole Tireſias's Oxen; and Order’d the Matter, to be in the Company with Tireſias, as upon Bus'neſs by the By, when the News ſhould be brought him of the Loſs of his Oxen. Mercury went to Tireſias in the Shape of a Man, and the Tidings came as Mercury had Coatriv’d it: Upon This, he took Mercury up to a High Tower, Hard by, and bad him look Well about him, and tell him what Birds he ſaw. Why, ſays Mercury, I ſee an Eagle upon Wing there, that takes her Courſe from the Right-hand to the Left. That Eagle (ſays Tireſias) is nothing to Our Purpoſe; wherefore Pray look again once. Mercury ſtood Gazing a while, and then told Tireſias of a Crow he had Diſcover'd upon a Tree, that was One while looking up into the. Air, and Another while Down towards the Ground: That's enough; (ſays Tireſias) for This Motion of the Crow, is as much as to ſay, I do Appeal to Heaven, and to Earth, that the Man that is Now with Tireſias, can help him to his Oxen again if He Pleaſes.
The
