A Fox, very hungry, chanced to come into a Vineyard, where there hung many bunches of charming ripe grapes; but nailed up to a trellis so high, that he leaped till he quite tired himself without being able to reach one of them. At last, "Let who will take them!" says he; "they are but green and sour; so I will even let them alone."

REFLECTION.

This fable is a good reprimand to a parcel of vain coxcombs in the world, who, because they would never be thought to be disappointed in any of their pursuits, pretend a dislike to every thing which they cannot obtain. There is a strange propensity in mankind to this temper, and there are numbers of grumbling malecontents in every different faculty and sect in life. The

discarded statesman, considering the corruption of the times, would not have any hand in the administration of affairs for all the world. A young fellow being asked how he liked a celebrated beauty, by whom all the world knew he was despised, answered, She had a stinking breath. How insufferable is the pride of this poor creature man! who would stoop to the basest, vilest actions, rather than be thought not able to do any thing. For what is more base and vile than lying? And when do we lye more notoriously, than when we disparage and find fault with a thing for no other reason but because it is out of our power.

When a man finds it impossible to obtain the things he longs for, it is a mark of sound wisdom and discretion to make a virtue of necessity.

ONE hot sultry summer, the lakes and ponds being almost every where dried up, a couple of Frogs agreed to travel together in search of water. At last they came to a deep well, and sitting upon the brink of it, began to consult, whether they should leap in or no. One of them was for it; urging, that there was plenty of clear spring water, and no danger of being disturbed. Well, says the other, all this may be true; and yet I cannot come into your opinion for my life: for, if the water should happen to dry up here too, how should we get out again?

REFLECTION.

The moral of this fable is intended to put us in mind. to look before we leap. That we should not undertake any action of importance, without considering first,

what the event of it is like to prove, and how we shall be able to come off, upon such and such provisos. A good general does not think he diminishes any thing of his character when he looks forward, beyond the main action, and concerts measures, in case there should be occasion, for a safe retreat.

How many unfortunate matches are struck up every day for want of this wholesome consideration? Profuse living, and extravagant gaming, both which terminate in the ruin of those that follow them, are mostly owing to a neglect of this precaution. Wars are begun by this blind stupidity, from which a state is not able to extricate itself with either honour or safety; and projects are encouraged by the rash accession of those, who never considered how they were to get out, until they had plunged themselves irrecoverably into them.

THE Mountains were said to be in Labour, and uttered most dreadful groans. People came together, far and near, to see what birth would be produced; and after they had waited a considerable time in expectation, out crept a mouse.

REFLECTION.

Great cry and little wool, is the English proverb; the sense of which bears an exact proportion to this fable. By which are exposed, all those who promise something exceeding great, but come off with a production ridiculously little. Projectors of all kinds, who endeavour by artificial rumours to raise the expectations of mankind, and then by their mean performances defeat and disappoint them, have, time out of mind, been lashed with the recital of this fable. How