interest; and yet, upon the throwing in of any cross interest among us, which is all one with the bone under the table, nay, upon a jealous thought, or a mistaken word or look, all former bonds are cancelled, the league broken, and the farce concludes in biting and scratching each other's eyes out. The same figure will serve for princes and states, public persons and private, married and single; people, in short, of all professions and pretences.

How does each bosom friendship warm,
Till clashing interests break the charm:
For quickly then each loving brother
Puffs, frets, and envies one another.

66

"But,"

As a Boar was whetting his teeth against a tree, up comes a Fox to him. Pray, what do you mean by that?" says he. "I do it," says the Boar, "to be in readiness in case of an attack by an enemy." replies the Fox, "I see no occasion for it; for there is no enemy near you." "Well," says the Boar, "but I see occasion for it; for when I come once to be set upon, it will be too late for me to be whetting when I should be fighting."

REFLECTION.

He, that is not idle when he is at leisure, may play with his business. A discreet man should have a reserve of every thing that is necessary beforehand; that when the time comes for him to make use of them, he may not be in a hurry and a confusion. A wise general

has not his men to discipline, or his ammunition to provide, when the trumpet sunds To Arms; but sets apart his times of exercise for one, and his magazines for the other, in the calm season of peace. We hope to live to a good old age: should we not then lay up a store of conveniences against that time, when we shall be most in want of them, and least able to procure them? We must die; nay, never start; we must. Are there not some necessary things for us to transact before we depart; at least, some trifle or other for us to bequeath, which a sudden stroke may prevent us from doing? Sure there is. And if so, how inexcusable shall we be, if we defer the execution of it, till the alarm comes upon us. I did not think of it, is an expression unworthy a wise man's mouth; and was only intended for the use of fools.

AN Ass, in a hard winter wished for a little warm weather and a mouthful of fresh grass, in exchange for a heartless truss of straw and a cold lodging. In good time the warm weather and the fresh grass came on; but so much toil and business along with it, that the Ass grows quickly as sick of the spring as he was of the winter. He next longs for summer, and when that. comes, finds his toils and drudgery greater than in the spring; and then he fancies he shall never be well till autumn comes: but there again, what with carrying apples, grapes, fuel, winter provisions, and such like, he finds himself in greater trouble than ever. In fine, when he has trod the circle of the year in a course of restless labour, his last prayer is for winter again, and that he may but take up his rest where he began his complaint.

REFLECTION.

There is no measure to be taken of an unsteady mind; but still it is either too much or too little, too soon or too late. The love of novelty begets and increases the love of novelty; and the oftener we change, the more dangerous and troublesome do we find this fondness of variety to be. The Ass was sick of the winter, sicker yet of the spring, more sick still of the summer; and sickest of all of the autumn; till he is brought in the end, to compound for his first condition again, and so take up with that for his satisfaction, which he reckoned upon before for his misfortune.

are.

Thus it is, when fickle and foolish people will be prescribing to, and refining upon the wise and gracious appointments of, the Maker of the world. They know not what they are, and they know not what they would be, any farther, than that they would not be what they Were we to pay a proper attention to that celebrated sentence of the Delphic oracle, "Know Thyself," we should experience fewer disappointments, become better members of society, and enjoy a greater portion of that tranquillity of soul, that internal serenity of mind, without which every station in life, however garnished with honours, however loaded with riches, may be pronounced miserable.