The Gold-Fish, confcious of his real beauty, and fomewhat angry to be thus infulted by fo very unfightly and deformed a creature, made this rational reply. It must be confeffed, that the opinions of men are fometimes guided by the caprice you mention. Yet, as for me and the rest of my tribe, it is well known, that if we are admired in England, we are not lefs admired at home: Being there efteemed by the greatest mandarins, fed by ftate officers, and lodged in bafons, as fuperb as any your nation has to boat. Perhaps then, notwithstanding your fage remark, there are fome virtues and fome qualities that please or difguft almoft univerfally; and as innocence joined to beauty feldom fails to procure efteem, fo malice added to deformity will caufe as generally a deteftation.

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CXXXIV. The SNAIL and the STATUE.

Statue of the Medicean Venus was erected in a grove facred to beauty and the fine arts. Its modeft attitude, its elegant proportions, affifted by the fituation in which it was placed, attracted the regard of every delicate obferver.-- A Snail, who had fixed himself beneath the moulding of the pedestal, beheld with an evil eye the admiration it excited. Wherefore, watching his opportunity, he ftrove, by trailing his filthy flime over every limb and feature, to obliterate thofe beauties which he could not endure to hear fo much applauded. An honeft Linnet however, who obferved him at his dirty work, took the freedom to affure him that he would infallibly lofe his labour: For although, faid he, to an injudicious eye, thou inay'ft fully the perfections of this finished piece, yet a more accurate and clofe infpector will admire its beauty through all the blemishes with which thou haft endeavoured to disguise it.

CXXXV. The

CXXXV.

The BEE and the SPIDER.

N the leaves and flowers of the fame fhrub, a Spider and Bee pursued their feveral occupations; the one covering her thighs with honey; the other diftending his bag with poifon. The Spider, as he glanced his eye obliquely at the Bee, was ruminating with fpleen on the fuperiority of her productions. And how happens it, faid he, in a peevish tone, that I am able to collect nothing but poifon from the felffame plant that supplies thee with honey? My pains and industry are not lefs than thine; in thofe refpects, we are each indefatigable. It proceeds only, replied the Bee, from our oppofite tempers and conftitution. The benevolence and fweetnefs of my difpofition gives a fimilar flavour to every thing I touch; whereas thy malignancy turns even that to poifon, which by a different procefs had been the pureft honey.

CXXXV1. The WOLF and the SHEPHERD'S DOG.

AWolf ranging over the foreft, came within the

borders of a fheep-walk; when meeting with the Shepherd's Dog, that with a furly fort of a growl demanded his bufinefs there, he thought proper to put on as innocent an appearance as he could, and protefted upon his honour that he meant not the leaft offence. I am afraid, faid the Dog, the pledge of your honour is but a poor depofit for your honefty; you must not take it amifs, if I object to the fecurity. No flur upon my reputation, replied the Wolf, I beg of you. My fenfe of honour is as delicate, as my great atchievements are renowned. I would not leave a ftain upon my memory for the world. The fame of what are coinmonly called great atchievements is very precious, to be fure, returned the Dog; almost equal to the character of an excellent butcher, a gal

lant

lant highwayman, or an expert affaffin. While the Dog was yet fpeaking, a lamb happened to be within reach of our hero. The temptation was ftronger than he was able to refift; he fprung upon his prey, and was fcouring haftily away with it: However, the Dog feized, and held him till the arrival of the Shepherd, who took measures for his execution. Just as he was going to dispatch him; I obferve, fays the Dog, that one of your noble atchievements is the deftruction of the innocent. You are welcome to the renown, as you are alfo to the reward of it. As for me, I fhall prefer the credit of having honestly defended my mafter's property, to any fame you have acquired by thus heroically invading it.

CXXXVII. The KING-FISHER and the SPARROW.

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Sa King-fifher was fitting beneath the fhade, upon the banks of a river, she was surprised on a fudden by the fluttering of a Sparrow that had eloped from the neighbouring town to vifit her. When the first compliments were over," How is it poffible, faid the Sparrow, that a bird fo finely adorned can think of spending all her days in the very depth of retirement! The golden plumage of your breaft, the fhining azure of your pinions, were never given you to be concealed, but to attract the wonder of beholders. Why then fhould you not endeavour to know the world, and be at the fame time yourself both known and admired?" You are very complaifant at least, replied the King-fifher, to conclude that my being admired would be the confequence of my being known. But it has fometimes been my lot, in the lonesome valleys that I frequent, to hear the complaint of beauty that has been negle&ed, and of worth that has been defpifed. Poffibly it does not always happen, that even fuperior excellence is found to excite admiration, or to obtain encourage

ment.

ment. I have learned befides, not to build my happinefs upon the opinion of others, fo much as upon my own conviction, and the approbation of my own heart. Remember, I am a King-fifher; thefe woods and streams are my delight; and fo long as they are free from winds and tempefts, believe me, I am perfectly content with my fituation. Why therefore fhould I court the noise and bustle of the world,. which I find fo little agreeable to my native difpofition? It may be the joy of a Sparrow to indulge his curiofity, and to display his eloquence: I, for my part, love filence, privacy, and contemplation; and think that every one fhould confult the native bias of his temper, before he chufes the way of life in which he expects to meet with happiness.

CXXXVIII.

As

The TRAVELLERS and the MONEY-BAC.

S two men were travelling on the road, one of them efpied a Bag of Money lying on the ground, and picking it up, I am in luck, faid he, I have found a Bag of Money. Yes, replied the other; though, methinks, you fhould not fay I, but We have found it; for when two friends are travelling together, they ought equally to fhare in any accidental. good fortune that may happen to attend them. No, replied the former, it was I that found it, and I must infist upon keeping it. He had no fooner fpoken the words, than they were alarmed with the hue and cry after thief, who had that morning taken a purfe upon the road. Lord, fays the finder, this is extremely unfortunate, we fhall certainly be feized. Good Sir, replied the other, be pleafed not to fay We, but I: As you would not allow me to fhare in the prize, you have no right to make me a partner in the punishment.

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CXXXIX. JUPITER and the HERDSMAN. Herdfinan miffed a young Heifer out of his grounds, and, after having diligently fought for it in vain, when he could by no other means gain intelligence of it, betook himself at laft to his prayers. Great Jupiter, faid he, fhew me but the villain who has done me this injury, and I will give thee in facrifice the fineft kid from my flock. He had no fooner uttered his petition, than turning the corner of a wood, he was ftruck with the fight of a monstrous Lion, preying on the carcafe of his Heifer. Trembling and pale, O Jupiter, cried he, I offered thee a Kid, if thou wouldft grant my petition : I now offer thee a Bull, if thou wilt deliver me from the confequence of it.

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CXL. The HARE and the TORTOISE

Hare and a Tortoife agreed to run a race of five miles, and the Fox was to determine it : But the Hare, by her exceeding fwiftnefs, fo vaftly out-run the Tortoife, that she made fuch a jest of it, as to take a nap in a tuft of fern that grew by the way, thinking, that if the Tortoife went by, fhe could eafly overtake her: At laft the Tortoife came jogging in, with a flow, but continued motion; and the Hare overfleeping herself, the other arrived at the end of the race firft.Industry and application to business make amends for the want of a quick and ready wit: Hence, the victory is not always to the ftrong, nor the race to the fwift. We often fee men of wit and fire, as they are called, mere fots, flovens, and lazy fellows They are generally proud and conceited, and in the main not fo fit for converfation or business. The man who would gain the efteem of others, and make his own fortune, muft purfue his courfe without loitering.

CXLI. The