of the Shechemites made himself king. Jotham, to represent to them their folly, and to Thew them, that the most deferving are generally the leaft ambitious, whereas the worthless grafp at power with eagerness, and exercise it with infolence and tyranny, spake to them in the following manner.

Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, fo may God hearken unto you. The trees, grown weary of the ftate of freedom and equality in which God had placed them, met together to chufe and to anoint a king over them: and they said to the Olive-tree, Reign thou over us. But the Olive-tree faid unto them, Shall I quit my fatnefs wherewith God and man is honoured, to difquiet myself with the cares of government, and to rule over the trees? And they faid unto the Fig-tree, Come thou, and reign over us. But the Fig-tree said unto them, Shall I bid adieu to my sweetness and my pleasant fruit; to take upon me the painful charge of royalty, and to be fet over the trees? Then faid the trees unto the Vine, Come thou, and reign over us. But the Vine faid also unto them, Shall I leave my wine which honoureth God and cheareth

cheareth man, to bring upon myself nothing but trouble and anxiety, and to become king of the trees? we are happy in our prefent lot: seek some other to reign over you. Then faid all the trees unto the Bramble, Come thou and reign over us. And the Bramble said unto them, I will be your king; come ye all under my fhadow, and be fafe; obey me, and I will grant you my protection. But if you obey me not, out of the Bramble fhall come forth a fire, which fhall devour even the cedars of Lebanon.

FABLE II.

The Frogs petitioning Jupiter for a King.

AS Efop was travelling over Greece, he

happened to pass thro' Athens just after Pififtratus had abolished the popular state, and ufurped a fovereign power; when perceiving that the Athenians bore the yoke, tho' mild and eafy, with much impatience, he related to them the following fable.

The commonwealth of Frogs, a difcontented, variable race, weary of liberty, and fond of change,

D 3

change, petitioned Jupiter to grant them a king. The good-natured deity, in order to in

dulge this their requeft, with as little mischief to the petitioners as poffible, threw them down a Log. At first they regarded their new monarch with great reverence, and kept from him at a moft refpectful distance: but perceiving his tame and peaceable difpofition, they by degrees ventured to approach him with more familiarity, till at length they conceived for him the utmost contempt. In this difpofition, they renewed their request to Jupiter, and intreated him to bestow upon them another king. The Thunderer in his wrath fent them a Crane, who no fooner took poffeffion of his new dominions, than he began to devour his subjects. one after another in a moft capricious and tyrannical manner. They were now far more diffatisfied than before; when applying to Jupiter a third time, they were dismissed with this reproof, that the evil they complained of they had imprudently brought upon themfelves; and that they had no other remedy Row but to submit to it with patience.

FABLE

FABLE III.

The Wolf and the Shepherds.

HOW

OW apt men are to condemn in others, what they practise them felves without

fcruple!

A Wolf, fays Plutarch, peeping into a hut, where a company of Shepherds were regaling themselves with a joint of mutton; Lord, faid he, what a clamour would these men have raifed, if they had catched me at fuch a banquet!

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FABLE IV.

The Belly and the Limbs.

ENENIUS AGRIPPA, a Romanconful, being deputed by the fenate to appease a dangerous tumult and sedition of the people, who refused to pay the taxes neceffary for carrying on the business of the state convinced them of their folly, by delivering to them the following fable.

My friends and countrymen, said he, attend to my words. It once happened that the Members of the human body, taking fome exception at the conduct of the Belly, refolved, no longer to grant him the usual supplies. The Tongue first, in a feditious speech, aggravated their grievances: and after highly extolling the activity aud diligence of the Hands and Feet, fet forth how hard and unreasonable it was, that the fruits of their labour should be fquandered away upon the infatiable cravings of a fat and indolent Paunch, which was entirely ufeless, and unable to do any thing towards helping himself. This fpeech was received with unanimous applaufe by all the Members. Immediately the Hands declared they would work no more: the Feet determined to carry no farther the load of Guts with which they had hitherto been oppreffed; nay the very Teeth refufed to prepare a fingle morfel more for his ufe. In this distress, the Belly befought them to confider maturely, and not foment so senselefs a rebellion. There is none of you, fays he, can be ignorant that whatsoever you bestow upon me, is immediately converted to your use, and difperfed by me for the good of you all into