A RAM, happening to meet with a Boar, had a mind to be arch upon him: "And so brother," says he, "your humble servant." The Boar, somewhat nettled at his familiarity, bristled up to him, and told him, he was surprised to hear him utter so impudent an untruth, and was just going to shew his noble resentment, by giving him a rip in the flank; but wisely stifling his passion, he contented himself with only saying, "Go, you sorry beast! I could be amply and easily revenged of you, but I do not care to foul my tusks with the blood of so base a creature."

REFLECTION.

Fools are sometimes so ambitious of being thought wits, that they run great hazards in attempting to shew

themselves such. This is not the first animal, who, after a handsome rebuke from one superior to himself, both in courage and merit, has continued his awkward raillery even to the last degree of offence. But such a dull creature as the Ram, is so far from raising himself the least esteem by his ludicrous vein, that he has very good luck if he escapes with a whole skin. Buffoons, like dwarfs, should be matched with those of their own level; a man, of sense or stature, would be ashamed to encounter either of them. But, notwithstanding all this, and though the Boar in the fable is a very good example to men of generous, brave spirits, not to give themselves up to passion, nor to be distempered with thoughts of revenge upon the insolent behaviour of every one that offends them, because their hands would be dishonoured by the tincture of a base man's blood; yet, among human creatures, the correction of a fool that would be unseasonably witty may be performed with justness and propriety enough; provided it be done in good humour. The blood of a coward, literally speaking, would stain the character of a man of honour; when we chastise such wretches, it should be done, if possible, in the utmost calmness of temper. It takes off something from the reputation of a great soul, when we see it is in the power of a fool to ruffle and unsettle it.

THE MAN THAT WAS BITTEN BY A DOG.

A MAN, that was bitten by a Dog, was advised, as the best remedy in the world, to dip a piece of bread in the blood of the wound, and give it to the Dog to eat. "Pray, hold your hand a little," says the Man, "unless have a mind to draw all the Dogs in the town upon me; for that will certainly be the end of it, when they shall find themselves rewarded, instead of punished, for such an act."

you

REFLECTION.

This fable informs us, that wicked and ill-natured men are not to be obliged by kindnesses, especially when they find they may be the better for insolence; for at that rate, he that rewards past offences, draws on and encourages new ones. Under the rule and correction

of this allegory, we may reckon calumny, slander, and detraction, in any form of figure whatsoever, and all manner of affronts and indignities, upon our good names or our persons. There may be place in all these cases for a generous charity to forgive offences, even of the highest ingratitude and malice; but it is not advisable to reward where men have the tenderness not to punish. This way of proceeding is dangerous in all the affairs of human life, public as well as private: for it is a temptation to villainy, when a man fares the better for evildoing. Ill-nature, in fine, is not to be cured with a reward; but on the contrary, quarrelsome men, as well as quarrelsome curs, are worse for fair usage.

SOME honey-combs being claimed by a swarm of Wasps, the right owners protested against their demand, and the cause was referred to a Hornet. Witnesses being examined, they deposed that certain winged creatures, who had a loud hum, of a yellowish colour, and somewhat like Bees, were observed a considerable time hovering about the place where this nest was found. But this did not sufficiently decide the question; for these characteristics, the Hornet observed, agreed no less with the Bees than the Wasps. At length a sensible old Bee offered to put the matter upon this decisive issue: "Let a place be appointed by the court," said he, "for the plaintiffs and defendants to work in it will then soon appear which of us are capable of forming such regular cells, and afterwards of filling them with so

PP