What a pity it is, faid he, that fo fine a creature fhould be furnished with fo defpicable a set of fpindlefhanks! what a truly noble animal I fhould be, were my legs in any degree answerable to my horns! In the midst of this foliloquy, he was alarmed with the cry of a pack of hounds. He immediately flies through the foreft, and leaves his purfuers fo far behind, that he might probably have escaped; but taking into a thick wood, his horns were entangled in the branches, where he was held till the hounds came up, and tore him in pieces. In his last moments, he thus exclaimed-How ill do we judge of our true advantages! the legs which I defpifed would have borne me away in fafety, had not my favourite antlers betrayed me to ruin.

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The Swallow and other Birds.

SWALLOW obferving an hufbandman employed in fowing hemp, called the little Birds together, and informed them what the far

mer

mer was about. He told them that hemp was the material from which the nets, fo fatal to the fea-? thered race, were compofed; and advised them unanimously to join in picking it up, in order to prevent the confequences. The Birds, either difbelieving his information, or neglecting his advice, gave themselves no trouble about the matter. In a little time the hemp appeared above ground; the friendly Swallow again addreffed himself to them, told them it was not yet too late, provided they would immediately fet about the work, before the feeds had taken too deep root. But they ftill rejecting his advice, he forfook their fociety, repaired for fafety to towns and cities, there built his habitation and kept his refidence. One day, as he was skimming along the streets, he happened to fee a large parcel of thofe very birds, imprifoned in a cage, on the fhoulders of a bird-catcher. Unhappy wretches, faid he, you now feel the punifhment of your former neglect. But thofe, who, having no forefight of their own, defpife the wholesome admonition of their friends, deserve the mischiefs which their own obftinacy or negligence brings upon their heads.

FABLE XV.

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N Afs, who lived in the fame house with á favourite Lap-dog, obferving the fuperior degree of affection, which the little minion enjoyed, imagined he had nothing more to do, in order to obtain an equal fhare in the good graces of the family, than to imitate the Lap-dog's playful and endearing careffes. Accordingly, he began to frisk about before his mafter, kicking up his heels and braying, in an awkward affectation of wantonness and pleafantry: this ftrange behaviour could not fail of raifing much laughter, which the Afs miftaking for approbation and encouragement, he proceeded to leap upon his mafter's breaft, and began very familiarly to lick his face; but he was prefently convinced, by the force of a good cudgel, that what is fprightly and agreeable in one, may in another be justly cenfured as rude and impertinent; and that the fureft way to gain esteem, is for every one to act fuitably to his own natural genius and character.

FABLE XVI.

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LION by accident laid his paw upon a poor innocent Moufe. The frighted little Creature imagining fhe was juft going to be devoured, begged hard for her life, urged that cle mency was the faireft attribute of power, and earneftly intreated his majesty not to ftain his illuftrious paws with the blood of fo infignificant an animal; upon which the Lion very generously fet her at liberty. It happened a few days afterwards, that the Lion, ranging for his prey, fell into the toils of the hunter. The Moufe heard his roarings, knew the voice of her benefactor, and immediately repairing to his affiftance, gnawed in pieces the meshes of the net, and by delivering her preferver, convinced him that there is no creature fo much below another, but may have it in his power to return a good office. FABLE XVII.

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WOLF baving with too much greediness fwallowed a bone, it unfortunately stuck in his throat; and in the violence of his pain he applied to several animals, earnestly entreating them to extract it. None cared to hazard the dangerous experiment, except the Crane; who, perfuaded by his folemn promifes of a gratuity, ventured to thrust her enormous length of neck down his throat, and having fuccessfully performed the operation, claimed the recompence. See the unrea

fonableness of fome creatures, faid the Wolf : have I not fuffered thee fafely to draw thy neck out of my jaws, and haft thou the confcience to demand a further reward!

FABLE XVIII.