O now, while health and vigour still remain,
Toil, toil, my lads, to purchase honest gain !
Shun idleness! shun pleasure's tempting snare!
A youth of revels breeds an age of care.

REFLECTION.

It is hard to say of laziness or luxury, whether it be the more scandalous, or the more dangerous evil. The very soul of the slothful does but lie drowsing in his body, and the whole man is totally given up to his senses; whereas the profit and the comfort of industry are substantial, firm, and lasting; the blessings of security and plenty go along with it, and it is never out of season. What is the Grasshopper's entertainment now, but a summer's song? A vain and empty pleasure? Let it be understood, however, that we are not to pass avarice upon the world under title of good-husbandry and thrift, and thereby utterly to extinguish charity. We are indeed, in the first place, to consult our own necessities; but we are then to consider, in the second, that the necessities of our neighbours have a Christian right to a part of what we have to spare.

The stress of this moral lies upon the preference of honest labour to idleness; and the refusal of relief, on the one hand, is intended only for a reproof to the inconsiderate loss of opportunity on the other. This does not hinder yet, but that the Ants, out of their abundance, ought to have relieved the Grasshopper in her distress, though it was her own fault that brought her to it; for if one man's faults could discharge another man of his duty, there would be no longer any place left for the common offices of society. To conclude, we have our failings, every one

of us; and the improvidence of my neighbour must not make me inhuman. The Ant did well to reprove the Grasshopper for her slothfulness; but she did ill, after that, to refuse her charity in her distress.

WH

FABLE XXIX.

The Bald Cavalier.

HEN periwigs were first used, and then chiefly to cover the defect of baldness, a certain Cavalier had one for that purpose, which passed for his own hair. But as he was one day riding out with some others a hunting, a sudden puff of wind blew off both his wig and his hat, and set the company in a loud laugh at his bald pate. He, for his part, fell a laughing with the rest, and said, Why, really, Gentlemen, this is merry enough; for how could I expect to keep other people's hair, who could not preserve my own.

MORALS.

The edge of a jest is quite blunted and turned off when a man has presence of mind to join in it against himself, or begin

it.

When the loud laugh prevails at your expense,
All want of temper is but want of sense;
Would you disarm the sneerer of his jest,
Frown not, but laugh in concert with the rest.

REFLECTION.

A frank, easy way of openness and candour agrees best with all humours; and he that is over solicitous to conceal a defect, often does as good as make proclamation of it. And it is a turn of art in many cases, where a man lies open to ridicule, to anticipate the jest, and make sport with himself first.

The epigram of Martial upon a lady, who, in a case in point, was for hiding a defect like that of the bald Knight, and made use of false hair, carries with it the severer sting, as she was willing and studious to conceal it. The Poet, made English, says :

The golden hair that Galla wears

Is hers who would have thought it?
She swears 'tis hers-and true she swears,
For I know where she bought it.

FABLE XXX.

EVER were two creatures better together than a Dog and a Cat brought up in the same house from a Whelp and a Kitten; so kind, so gamesome and diverting, that it was half the entertainment of the family to see the gambols and love-tricks that passed betwixt them. Only it was observed, that still at meal-times, when scraps fell from the table, or a bone was thrown to them, they would be snarling and spitting at one another under the table like the worst of foes.

MORALS.

But as the sun, refulgent globe of light.

By mists obscur'd, may shine more dimly bright;
Or by some sable cloud its lustre veil'd,

Lie hid in darkness from the world conceal'd;
So every joy which mortals here can know
Is damp'd by sorrow, or is mix'd with woe.
Pleasure entire, from all assaults secure,
To no one's granted, no one can ensure.
Ungovern'd passions to such heights will rise,
That friendship's self oft falls asacrifice;
A fire is kindled in the human breast,
By words misconstru'd, or a simple jest,
As some one relish often spoils a feast.
Thus sportful, frisking on the sunny green,
Two lambkins loving are not seldom seen:
Off from the flock they to a distance stray,
And all a battle represent in play;

Till some unlucky thrusts rouse up their rage,
Pretence is gone, in earnest they engage.
Those whom she sung, the muse reluctant sees
Differ for causes trivial as these ;

And full of anguish, sighing and alone,

Pours out her deep-felt melancholy moan :—
"Where dwelt their mutual fondness in that hour

When love took leave, and kindness now no more?
Alas! no more, in social converse join'd,
Shall they partake the rapture of the mind?
Placid content, shall fell disgust succeed,
And vexing discord make enjoyment bleed?
Forbid it, Heav'n! and to them gracious deign
Their strict agreeing harmony again!

All jarring thoughts at utmost distance keep,
And bid the former in oblivion sleep!"

REFLECTION.

Here is a perfect emblem of the practices and friendships of the world. We contract little likings,