HOME | L'Estrange: Previous - Next
490. A Country-man and a Panther.
A Panther had the Fortune to drop into a Pit-fall. The People came Flocking about him; some Pelting and Battering him with Stones and Cudgels; others Pity'd him, and threw him somewhat to Eat. Toward Night, they went All Home again, taking for granted that they should find him Dead next Morning: But in that Interim he came to Himself again, and gave 'em the Slip: And upon getting Loose, he made such Havock both with Man and Beast, that the whole Country, Friend and Foe, were all in Dread of him. The Panther finding the Fright so General, call'd out to 'em, and told them; So many of ye (says he) as were King to me in the Pit, set your Hearts at Rest, for I'll not Hurt a Creature of ye now I am at Liberty. I have not forgotten who they were that gave me Bread, and who threw Stones at me; and I'm an Enemy only to those that were Enemies to me.
The Moral. There's no Creature so Wild and Savage, and but it may be wrought upon and Reclaim'd by Good Offices and Benefits; to the shame of that part of Mankind, that returns Evil for Good, and is yet to Learn Humanity from the Beasts of the Forrests.
491. A Mastiff and an Ass.
There was a Huge Bear-Dog, and an Ass laden with Bread upon a Long Journey together: They were Both very Hungry, and while the Ass was Grazing upon Thistles by the Way-side, the Dog would fain have been Eating too for Company, and Begg'd a Bit of Bread of him. The Ass made him Answer, that if he were Hungry, he might e'en do as he did; for he had no Bread to spare. While this pass'd, up comes a Wolf toward them. The Ass fell a Trembling, and told the Dog, he hop'd he would stand by him if the Wolf should set upon him. No, says the Dog, that they will Eat Alone, shall e'en Fight Alone too, for me: And so he left his Fellow-Traveller at the Mercy of the Wolf.
The Moral. Common Defence and Preservation, is the Main End of Society, and the Great Benefit we receive by Joining in't: We Love One Another, because we are the better for One Another; and it is the Interest that Supports us in the Duty; when that Reciprocal Kindness fails, as we see here in the Dog and the Ass, the League drops to Pieces.
492. A Laconique Try'd and Sentenc'd
493. Machiavel Condemn'd
494. A Dispute betwixt a Doctor, a Vint'ner and a Botcher
495. There's no To Morrow
496. A Lady in Trouble for the Loss of a Set of Horses
497. The Hypocrite
498. The Conscientious Thieves
499. The Trepanning Wolf
500. A Miller and a Rat.
A Miller took a huge Over-grown Rat in his Meal Tub; and there was He laying the Law to him about the Lewdness of his Life and Conversation, and the Abominable Sin of Stealing; but your Thieving says he, is now come Home to ye, and I shall e'en leave Honest Puss here to reckon with ye for all your Rogueries. Alas Sir, says the Poor Rat, I make no Trade on't; and the Miserable Pittance that I take, is only from Hand to Mouth, and out of Pure Necessity to keep Life and Soul together: As the Rat Pleaded Hunger on the One Hand, the Miller threw the Matter of Conscience and Honesty in his Teeth on the Other, and Preach'd to him upon the Topick of a Political Convenience, in making such Pilfering Knave Examples for the Publick Good. Well, Sir, says the Rat once again, but pray will you Consider for your own sake, that this is your own Case; and that You and I are both Corn Merchants, and of the same Fraternity; Nay, and that for One Graint that I take, you take a Thousand. This is not Language, cries the Miller, in a Rage, for an Honest Man to Bear; but the best on't is Sirrah, Your Tongue's no Slander: So he turn'd the Cat Loose upon him to do that which we call in the World an Execution of Justice.
The Moral. 'Tis a piece of Market Policy, for People of a Trade to bear hard One upon another, when it comes once to the Question betwixt a Couple of Knaves which is the Honester Man of the Two.