THE COUNTRYMAN AND THE ASS. AN old Man was feeding an Ass in a fine green meadow; and being alarmed with the sudden approach of the enemy, was impatient with the Ass to put himself forward, and fly with all the speed that he was able. The Ass asked him, "Whether or no he thought the enemy would clap a pair of panniers upon his back?" The Man said, "No; there was no fear of that.""Why then," says the Ass, "I will not stir an inch; for what is it to me who my master is, since I shall but carry my panniers as usual." REFLECTION. This fable shews us, how much in the wrong the poorer sort of people most commonly are, when they are under any concern about the revolutions of a government. All the alteration which they can feel, is, perhaps, in the name of their sovereign, or some such important trifle: but they cannot well be poorer, or made to work harder than they did before. And yet how are they sometimes imposed upon, and drawn in by the artifices of a few mistaken or designing men, to foment factions, and raise rebellions, in cases where they can get nothing by the success; but, if they miscarry, are in danger of suffering an ignominious, and untimely death. The man, that is poor, may be void of all care, Joy and Sorrow, two twin-sisters, once quarrelled who should have the preference; and being unable to decide the matter, left it to Minos to determine. He tried all means to make them agree, and go hand in hand together, as loving sisters ought; but finding his counsel had no effect upon them, he decreed that they should be linked together with a chain; and each of them in turn should be perpetually treading upon the heel of the other; and not a pin matter then, says he, which goes foremost. REFLECTION. It is the lot of mankind to be happy and miserable by turns. The wisdom of Providence will have it so; and it is for our advantage that it should be so. There is nothing pure and unmixed under the heavens; and if there were, such an abstracted simplicity would be neither nourishing nor profitable to us. By the meditation of this mixture, we have the comfort of Hope to support us in our distresses, and the apprehensions of a change to keep a check upon us in the very pride of our greatness: so that by this vicissitude of good and evil we are kept steady in our philosophy, and in our religion. The one minds us of God's omnipotence and justice; the other, of his goodness and mercy: the one tells us, there is no trusting to our own strength; the other preaches faith and resignation in the prospect of an over-ruling Providence that takes care of us. What is it but sickness that gives us a taste of health? Bondage, the relish of liberty? And what but the experience of want, that enhances the value of plenty? That, which we call ease, is only an indolence or a freedom from pain; and there is no such thing as felicity or misery, but by comparison. It is very true, that hopes and fears are the snares of life in some respects; but they are the reliefs of it in others. Now for fear of the worst on either hand, every man has it in his power, by the force of natural reason, to avoid the danger of falling either into presumption or despair. ONCE upon a time, the beasts were so void of reason as to choose an Ape for their king. He had danced, and diverted them with playing antic tricks, and nothing would serve, but they must anoint him their sovereign. Accordingly crowned he was, and affected to look very wise and politic. But the Fox, vexed at his heart to see his fellow brutes act so foolishly, was resolved the first opportunity, to convince them of their silly choice, and punish their king for his presumption. Soon after, spying a trap in a ditch, which was baited with a piece of flesh, he went and informed the Ape of it, as a treasure, which, being found upon the waste, belonged to his majesty. The Ape, dreaming nothing of the matter, went very briskly to take possession, but had no sooner laid his paws upon the bait, than he was caught in the trap; where, betwixt shame and anger, he began to |