Page:Fables of Aesop and other eminent mythologists.djvu/244

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182
Barlandus's FABLES.

the Filling of My Belly with Good Graſs; but your Bus'neſs is the Cramming of your Own Guts with Good Goats-Fleſh: So that ‘tis for your Own Sake, not Mine, that you'd have me come down.

The MORAL.

There’s no Truſting to the Formal Civilities and Invitations of an Enemy, and his Reaſonings are but Snares when he pretends to Adviſe us for our Good.

REFLEXION.

HE that Adviſes Another to his Own Advantage, may be very Reaſonably Suſpected to give Councel for his Own Ends. It may ſo fall Out, 'tis True, as to be Profitable for Both: But all Circumſtances would be Well Examin'd in ſuch a Caſe before we Truſt. This is the Song of your Men of Prey, as well as of your Beaſts of Prey, when they Set up for the Good of the Goats and the Common People. How many Fine Things have we had told us in the Memory of Man, upon the Subject of our Liberties, Properties, and Religion, and the Delivering of us from the Fears and Jealouſies of Idolatry, and Arbitrary Power! And what was the Fruit of All This in the End, but Viſion and Romance on the Promiſing Hand, and an Exchange of Imaginary Chains, for Real Locks and Bolts, on the Other: But Æſop's Beaſts ſaw further into a Mill-ſtone then our Mobile: And that the Lyon's Invitation of the Goat from the Rocks into the Fool's Paradiſe of a Delicate Sweet Meadow, ſignify'd no more in Plain Engliſh, then Come down that I may Eat ye.




Fab. CCXI.

A Vultur's Invitation.

THE Vultur took up a Fit of very Good Humour once, and Invited the Whole Nation of the Birds to make Merry with him, upon the Anniverlary of his Birth-Day. The Company came; The Vultur ſhuts the Doors upon them, and Devours his Gueſts inſtead of Treating them.

The Moral.

There's no Meddling with any Man that has neither Faith, Honour, nor Good Nature in him.

RE-