Fab. CLXXXVIII.
An Ant formerly a Man.
THE Ant, or Piſmire, was formerly a Husband-man, that ſecretly Filch’d away his Neighbour’s Goods and Corn, and ſtor’d all up in his own Barn. He drew a General Curſe upon his Head for’t, and Jupiter, as a Puniſhment, and for the Credit of Mankind, turn’d him into a Piſmire; but this Change of Shape wrought no Alteration, either of Mind, or of Manners; for he keeps the ſame Humour and Nature to This very Day.
The MORAL.
That which Some call Good Husbandry, Induſtry and Providence, Others call Raking, Avarice, and Oppreſſion: So that the Vertue and the Vice, in Many Caſes, are hardly Diſtinguiſhable but by the Name.
REFLEXION.
WHEN Vicious Inclinations are brought once, by Cuſtom, and Practice, to be Habitual, the Evil is Deſperate, for Nature will be ſtill True to her ſelf, through all Forms and Difguifes. And Cuſtom is a Second Nature. By the Poetical Fictions of Men turn’d into the Shape of Beaſts, and Inſects, we are given to Underſtand that they do effectually Make themſelves ſo, when they Degenerate from the Dignity of their Kind: So that the Metamorphoſis is in their Manners, not in their Figure. When a Reaſonable Soul deſcends to keep Company in the Dirt with Ants, and Beetles, and to Abandon the Whole Man to the Senſuality of Brutal Satisfactions he forfeits his Peerage, and the very Privilege of his Character and Creation; for he's no longer a Man that gives himſelf wholly up to the Works of a Beaſt. Only one Word more now, upon the Judgment that Befell the Husband-man, which bids us have a Care of Avarice, Rapine and Oppreſſion; for the Curſe of Heaven Attends them.
Fab. CLXXXIX.
Travellers by the Sea-ſide.
A Company of People that were walking upon the Shore, ſaw ſomewhat come Hulling toward them a great Way off at Sea. They took it at firſt for a Ship, and as it came Nearer, for a Boat only; but it prov’d at laſt te be no more then a Float of Weeds and Ruſhes: Whereupon they made chis Reflexion within Themſelves, We have been Waiting here for a Mighty Bus’neſs that comes at laſt to juſt Nothing.
The
