Here's a Petition to Jupiter, in Truth, againſt Himſelf; and in the Moral, a Complaint to God againſt Providence; as if the Harmony of Nature, and or the World; The Order of Men, Things, and Bus’neſs, were to be Embroil'd, Diſſolv'd, or Alter’d, for the ſake of ſo many Aſſes. What would become of the Univerſe if there were not Servants as well as Maſters? Beaſts to Draw, and Carry Burdens, as well as Burdens to be Drawn and Carry’d? If there were not Inſtruments for Drudgery, as well as Offices of Drudgery: If there were not People to Receive and Execute Orders, as well as others to Give and Authorize them? The Demand, in fine, is Unnatural, and Conſequently both Weak and Wicked; And it is likewiſe as Vain, and Unreaſonable, to Ask a Thing that is w holly Impoſſible. But 'tis the Petition of an Aſs at laſt, which keeps up the Congruity of the Moral to the Fable.
The Ground of the Requeſt, is the Fiction of a Complaint, by reaſon of Intolerable Burdens. Now we have Grievances to the Life, as well as in Fancy; and Aſſes in Fleſh and Blood too, and in Practice, as well as in Emblem. We have Herds in Society, as well as in the Fields, and in the Foreſts; And we have Engliſh too, as well as Arcadian Grievances. What? (Cries the Multitude) are not our Bodies of the ſame Clay; and our Souls of the ſame Divine Inſpiration with our Maſters? Under Theſe Amuſements, the Common People put up ſo many Appeals to Heaven, from the Powers and Commands of their Lawful Superiors, under the Obloquy of Oppreſſors; and what Better Anſwer can be return’d to All their Clamorous Importunities, then This of Jupiter? Which moſt Emphatically ſets forth the Neceſſity of Diſcharging the Aſſes Part; and the Vanity of Propoſing to have it done any Other Way. As who ſhould ſay, the Bus’neſs of Humane Nature muſt be done. Lay your Heads together, and if you can find any way for the doing it, without one ſort of People under Another, You ſhall have Your Asking. But for a Concluſion, He that’s born to Work, is out of his Place and Element when he is Idle.
Fab. CXCII.
An Aſs and the Frogs.
AN Aſs Sunk down into a Bog among a Shoale of Frogs, with a Burden of Wood upon his Back, and there he lay, Sighing and Groaning, as his Heart would Break: Hark ye Friend (ſays one of the Frogs to him) if you make ſuch a Bus'neſs of Lying in a Quagmire, when you are but juſt fall’n into’t, what would you do I Wonder, if You had been here as long as we have been?
The MORAL.
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