. Æsop's fables, embellished with one hundred and eleven emblematical devices . ay frisk it over,the beauteous laAvns, or lose himself agreeably inthe shady verdant mazes of unrestrained contem-plation ? It is impossible. Vulgar notions are sogenerally attended with error, that wherever onetraces the footsteps of the many, tending all oneway, it is enough to make one suspect, with theFox in the fable, that there is some trick in eye of reason is dulled and stupified when itis confined, and made to gaze continually uponthe same thing: it rather chooses to look aboutit, and amuse itself w
. Æsop's fables, embellished with one hundred and eleven emblematical devices . ay frisk it over,the beauteous laAvns, or lose himself agreeably inthe shady verdant mazes of unrestrained contem-plation ? It is impossible. Vulgar notions are sogenerally attended with error, that wherever onetraces the footsteps of the many, tending all oneway, it is enough to make one suspect, with theFox in the fable, that there is some trick in eye of reason is dulled and stupified when itis confined, and made to gaze continually uponthe same thing: it rather chooses to look aboutit, and amuse itself with variety of objects, as 126 FABLE LI. tliey lie scattered up and down in the unboundedprospect. He that goes implicitly into a thing,may be mistaken, notwithstanding the number ofthose who keep him company; but he that keepsout till he sees reason to enter, acts upon truemaxims of policy and prudence. In short, itbecomes us, as we are reasonable creatures, tobehave ourselves as such, aud to do as few thingsas possible, of which we may have oceasion torepent. FABLE HI, 127. THE WANTON CALF. ix CALF, full of play aud wantonness, seeing tlieOx at plough, could not forbear insulting liim. * What a sorrj poor drudge art thou, sajs he, • to bear that heavy yoke upon your neck, and go all day drawing a plough at your tail, to turn up the ground for your master! but you are a wretched dull slave, and know no belter, or else you would not do it. See what a happy life I lead : I go just where I please; sometimes I lie down under the cool shade; sometimes frisk about in the open sunshine; and, when I please, slake my thirst in the clear sweet brook; but you, if you were to perish, have not so much as a little dirty water to refresh you. The Ox, not at all moved with what he said, went quietly and calmly ou with his work; aud, in the evening. 128 FABLE LII. was unyoked and turned loose. Soon after ■whichhe saw the Calf taken out of the field, and deli-vered into the hands of a prie
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Keywords: ., bookauthoraesop, bookcentury1800, bookdec, booksubjectfablesgreek
