Fables of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists/Fable CLXXXIX
Fab. CLXXXIX.
Travellers by the Sea-side.
A Company of People that were walking upon the Shore, saw somewhat come Hulling toward them a great Way off at Sea. They took it at first for a Ship, and as it came Nearer, for a Boat only; but it prov’d at last te be no more then a Float of Weeds and Rushes: Whereupon they made chis Reflexion within Themselves, We have been Waiting here for a Mighty Bus’ness that comes at last to just Nothing.
The MORAL.
REFLEXION.
THE Doctrine of this Fable is held forth to us in a Thousand Cases of Curiosity, Novelty, &c. We make a Wonderful Matter of Things at a Distance, that Signify Little or Nothing at all, nearer hand. And we are as much Impos’d upon in the Prospect of our Hopes and Fears: The Dangers, and the Blessings that we either Dread, or Propose to our selves, look a great Deal Bigger afar off, then in Effect they are. And what's the Mystery of All this now, but that we judge of Things by False Images and Appearances, without Entring into the True State and Reason of them? So that at this Rate, we divide our Lives betwixt Flattering Illutions, and Restless Apprehensions: Never at Ease, either on the One side, or on the Other. The Mischief is, that we are Over-solicitous about Matters that are out of our Power, and Star-gazing after Fururitics; when in truth, our Bus’ness lies just under our Noses; That is to say, in the Attending, and Emproving of Present Opportunities. In few Words, a Wise Man Counts his very Minutes: He lets no Time flip him; for Time is Life: which he makes Long, by the Good Husbandry of a Right Use and Application of it, from One Moment to Another. This is not yet to Exclude the Provicence of Tracings Premisses into Consequences, or Causes into their Effects; but to Caution us not to look at the Wrong End of the Glass; and so Invert the Prospect. We see Thing at hand, as they really are, but at a Distance, only as they seem to be Patience and Consideration will set us Right in our Judgments and in our Measures. It is much thereabouts with the Common People too, in the Matter of Remote Grievances. They Represent, and Fancy to Themselves, Hell, Slavery and Damnation, at a Distance, in many a Case, which at hand signifies not so much as a Flea-biting.