and to the Converſation of Men. This Flax and Hemp came in time to be Gather'd, and Wrought, and it was this Swallows Fortune to ſee Several of the very ſame Birds that ſhe had forewarn'd, taken in Nets, made of the very Stuff ſhe told them off. They came at laſt to be Senſible of the folly of ſlipping their Opportunity; but they were Loſt beyond All Redemption firſt.
The Moral.
REFLEXION.
Many and Many a time has this been our own Caſe, both publick and private, when we would not Believe the Danger of things 'till the Evil was come upon us: But Good Council is caſt away, upon the Arrogant, die Self conceited, or the ſtupid, who are either too Proud to take it, or too Heavy to Underſtand it.
The Sowing of Hemp-ſeed, and of Plot ſeed is much at one. The Deſign, and the End are Deſtruction, Both Alike. The Swallow propoſes the Preventing of ill Conſequences in their Cauſes, and Obviating the Miſchief Betimes: But that Counſel is either thrown off with a Raillery, or not minded at all : Governours would have enough to do, they Cry, to trouble their Heads with the Politiques of every Medling Officious Impertinent. Well! It takes Root; ſhews itſelf in the Blade, Advances, and Ripens: And ſtill the Swallow is but the ſame Fool over again, for continuing the ſame Advice. The Hemp comes at laſt to be pluckt-up, Pill'd, Dreſs'd, and Spun; The Nets and Snares made and laid; and yet all this while the Birds could never find a time to Bethink themſelves, till they came to be Hamper'd, and Ruined paſt Recovery.
What is all this but a perfect Emblem of the Method of Deſtroying Kingdoms and States. Cautions, or the common Ways of Anticipating, or Defeating Conſpiracies, are below the Wiſdom of men of Intrigue, and Cabal; till at laſt, a Faction comes to be too hard for the Government. Now whether this befals a Kingdom by Envy, Ignorance, Conſpiracy. Treachery, or Preſumption, it comes all to a caſe, ſo long as it does the Work. It is the Bane of Society, and in truth, even of particular Perſons too, when betwixt Lazineſs and Neglect, men flip all the Opportunities, with the Birds herein the Fable, of a Safe, and of a Happy Life.
Fab. XIX.
The Frogs Chuſe a King.
IN the days of Old, when the Frogs were All at liberty in the Lakes, and grown quite Weary of living without Government, they Petition'd Jupiter for a King, to the End that there might be
