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her voice, and having a mind to set him right in that matter, she began to sing, and in the same instant let the cheese fall out of her mouth. This being what the Fox wanted, he snapped it up in a moment; and trotted away, laughing to himself at the easy credulity of the Crow.

MORAL.

It is a maxim in the schools,

That "Flattery's the food of fools!"
And whoso likes such airy meat,

Will soon have nothing else to eat.

INGRATITUDE.

BLOW, blow, thou wintry wind,
Thou art not so unkind

As man's ingratitude;

Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,

Although thy breath be rude.

Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,
Thou dost not bite so nigh
As benefits forgot:
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp

As friends rememb'ring not.

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As Jupiter's all-seeing eye
Surveyed the worlds beneath the sky,
From this small speck of earth were sent
Murmurs and sounds of discontent;
For every thing alive complained
That he the hardest life sustained-
Jove calls his eagle; at the word
Before him stands the royal bird.
Th' obedient bird, from heaven's height,
Downward directs his happy flight;
Then cited every living thing,
To hear the mandates of his king.

"Ungrateful creatures! whence arise

These murmurs, which offend the skies?

ASSEMBLY OF ANIMALS.

Why this disorder? say the cause;
But just are Jove's eternal laws :
Let each his discontent reveal;
To you, Sir Dog, I first appeal."

"Hard is my lot," the hound replies;
"On what fleet nerves the greyhound flies;
While I with weary step and slow,

O'er plains and vales, and mountains go;
The morning sees my chase begun,
Nor ends it till the setting sun."

"When," says the greyhound, "I pursue,
My game is lost or caught in view;
Beyond my sight, the prey's secure;
The hound is slow, but always sure-
And had I his sagacious scent,
Jove ne'er had heard my discontent."

The lion craved the fox's art;
The fox, the lion's force of heart.
The cock implored the pigeon's flight,
Whose wings were rapid, strong, and light;
The pigeon strength of wing despised,
And the cock's matchless valor prized;
The fishes wish'd to graze the plain;
The beasts, to skim beneath the main.
Thus, envious of another's state,
Each blamed the partial hand of fate.

The bird of heav'n then cried aloud,
"Jove bids disperse the murm'ring crowd;
The God rejects your idle prayers:
Would ye, rebellious mutineers!

Entirely change your name and nature,

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.

And be the very envied creature?
What, silent all; and none consent?
Be happy then, and learn content;
Nor imitate the restless mind,
And proud ambition of mankind."

MORAL.

Every one thinks his own condition the hardest.

SUSPICION.

SUSPICION is no less an enemy to virtue, than to happiness. He that is already corrupt is naturally suspicious; and he that becomes suspicious, will quickly be corrupt. He that suffers by imposture, has too often his virtue more impaired than his fortune.

But as it is necessary not to invite robbery by supineness, so it is our duty not to suppress tenderness by suspicion. It is better to suffer wrong than to do it ; and happier to be sometimes cheated, than not to trust. He who is spontaneously suspicious, may be justly charged with radical corruption.

"Though wisdom wake, suspicion sleeps

At wisdom's gate; and to simplicity

Resigns her charge, while goodness thinks no ill
Where no ill seems."

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