to the parents. The loss of them is grievous to us. The miscarriage of them by falling into lewd and vicious courses, is much worse; and one such disappointment is sufficient to blast the comfort given us by all the rest. Nay, the very possibility, or rather the likelihood and odds, that some out of such a number will prove ungracious, makes our beds uneasy to us, fills our heads and our hearts with racking thoughts, and keeps us in anxiety night and day.

A ROYAL Eagle having resolved to prefer such of his subjects as he found most agreeable for person and address, ordered every bird to bring its young ones to court. They came accordingly, and every one in its turn was for advancing its own; till at last the Owl fell a mopping and twinkling, and told his Majesty," that if a graceful mien and countenance might entitle any of his subjects to a preference, she doubted not but her brood would be looked upon in the first place; for," says she, "they are all as like me as they can stare."

REFLECTION.

The moral here before us extends to the fruits and productions of the brain, as well as of the body; and to deformities as well of understanding, as of shape. We

are taught here principally two things: first, how ridiculous it is for a man to dote upon the undeserving issue of his own brains or loins; and yet, secondly, how prone we are to indulge our own errors, follies, and miscarriages, in thought, word, and deed. The world has abundance of these Owls in it: so that whoever looks about him, will find not a few living illustrations of this emblem.

A MAN, who had raised himself from a small fortune by successful traffic to a large one, was boasting: "Why, aye," says he, "this it is when a man understands his business for I have done all this by my own skill." Avarice is insatiable, and so he went pushing on still for more; till, what by wrecks, bankrupts, and pirates, one upon the neck of another, he was reduced, in half the time that he was a rising, to a morsel of bread. "Why this," says he, "is owing to my cursed fortune!" Fortune happened to be at that time within hearing, and told him, that he was an arrogant, ungrateful fellow, to charge her with all the evil that befel him, and to take the good to himself.

REFLECTION.

Our hearts are so much set upon the value of the benefits we receive, that we never think of the bestower of them, and so our acknowledgments are commonly paid to the second hand, without any regard to the principal. We run into mistakes and misfortunes of our own accord ; and then, when we are once disappointed, we lay the blame of them upon others. This or that was not well done, we say; but alas! it was none of our fault: we did it by constraint, advice, importunity, or the authority perhaps of great examples, and the like: at this rate we palliate our own weaknesses and corruptions, and at the same rate we likewise assume to ourselves the merits of others. The thing to be done, in fine, is to correct this arrogance, and be thankful to God for the benefits we receive at his hands; and resign ourselves to his all-wise providence in those dispensations which we are so apt to reckon misfortunes: but which, made a right use of, may frequently turn to our highest benefit, if not in this world, in that to come.