REFLECTION.

Ill dispositions may be dissembled for a while, but nature is very hardly to be altered, either by counsel or education. It may do well enough for curiosity and experiment, to try how far ill-natured men, and other creatures, may be wrought upon by fair usage and good breeding; but the inclination and cruelty of the dam will be hardly ever out of the whelp. This fable is a true portrait of an ungrateful and treacherous mind, which, according to the proverb, holds with the Hare, and runs with the Hound; which pretends greater zeal than others, like the wolf's whelp in the chase, in the detection and pursuit of a common enemy; but at the same time divides spoils with him, and, rather than want an opportunity of doing mischief, will prey privately upon the property he pretends to defend. Many such instances we might give in public life; and there have been too many such also in private life.

THE CLOCK AND THE DIAL.

A CLOCK, which served for many years to repeat the hours and point out time, happened to fall into conversation with a Dial, which also served when the sun shone to tell what was the time of day. It happened to be in a cloudy forenoon, when the sun did not shine. Says the Clock to the Dial, "what a mean slavery do you undergo; you cannot tell the hour without the sun pleases to inform you, and now the half of the day is past, and you know not what o'clock it is: I can tell the hour at any time, and would not be in such a dependent state as you are in for the world: night and day are both alike to me: it is just now twelve o'clock." Upon this the sun shone forth from under the cloud, and shewed the exact time of the day: it was half an hour past twelve. The Dial then replied to the Clock, "you may now perceive that boasting is not good; for you

see you are wrong: it is better to be under direction and follow truth, than to be eye to one's self and go wrong; your freedom is only a liberty to err, and what you call slavery in my case is the only method of being freely in the right: you see, that we should all of us keep our stations, and depend upon one another; I depend upon the sun, and you depend upon me; for if I did not serve to regulate your motions, you see you would for ever go wrong."

REFLECTION.

There is no absolute independency in the world; every one depends in his station upon some above him, and if this order was taken away, there would be nothing except error and confusion in the universe.

THE Tyrant of the forest issued a proclamation, commanding all his subjects to repair immediately to his royal den. Among the rest, the Bear made his appearance; but pretending to be offended with the steams which issued from the Monarch's apartments, he was imprudent enough to hold his nose in his Majesty's presence. This insolence was so highly

resented, that the Lion in a rage laid him dead at his feet. The Monkey, observing what had passed, trembled for his carcase; and attempted to conciliate favour by the most abject flattery. He began with protesting, that for his part he thought the apartments were perfumed with Arabian spices; and exclaiming against the rudeness of the Bear, admired the beauty of his Majesty's paws, so happily formed, he said, to

F

correct the insolence of clowns. This fulsome adulation, instead of being received as he expected, proved no less offensive than the rudeness of the Bear: and the courtly Monkey was in like manner extended by the side of Sir Bruin. And now his Majesty cast his eye upon the Fox. "Well, Reynard," said he, "and what scent do you discover here?" "Great Prince," replied the cautious Fox, "my nose was never esteemed my most distinguishing sense; and at present I would by no means venture to give my opinion, as I have unfortunately got a terrible cold."

REFLECTION.

It is often more prudent to suppress our sentiments, than either to flatter or to rail.