Fables of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists/The Life of Æsop/Chapter XVII
Cap. XVII.
Æsop's Letters of Morality to his son Ennus.
UPON Æsop's coming again into Favour, he had the King of Ægypt's Letter given him to Consider of, and Advised Labynetus to send him for Answer, That Early the next Spring he should have the Satisfaction he Desired. Things being in this State, JEfop took Ennus Home to him again, and so order'd the Matter, that he wanted neither Councells nor Instructions, nor any other Helps or Lights that might Dispose him to the Leading of a Virtuous Life, as will Appear by the Following Precepts.
My Son (says he) Worship God with Care and Reverence, and with a Sincerity of Heart voyd of All Hypocrisie or Ostentation: Not as if that Divine Name and Power were only an Invention, to Fright Women and Children, but know, That God is Omnnipresent, True and Allmighty.
Have a Care even of your Most Private Actions and Thoughts, for God sees Thorough you, and your Conscience will bear Witness against you.
It is according to Prudence, as well as Nature, to pay that Honour to your Parents that you Expect your Children should pay to you.
Do All the Good you can to All men, but in the First Place to your Nearest Relations, and do no Hurt however, where you can do no Good.
Keep a Guard upon your Words as well as upon your Actions, that there be no Impurity in Either.
Follow the Dictates of your Reason, and you are Safe; and have a Care of Impotent Affections.
Apply your selfe to Learn More, so long as there's any Thing Left that you do not Know, and Value Good Councell before Mony.
Our Minds must be Cultivated as well as our Plants; The Improvement of our Reason makes us like Angells, whereas the Neglect of it turns us into Beasts.
Theres no Permanent and Inviolable Good, but Wisdom and Virtue, though the Study of it signifies Little without the Practice.
Do not think it impossible to be a Wise Man, without looking Sowre upon it. Wisdom makes Men Severe, but not Inhumane.
It is Virtue not to be Vicious.
Keep Faith with All Men. Have a Care of a Lye, as you would of Sacriledge. Great Bablers have No Regard either to Honesty or Truth.
Take Delight in, and frequent the Company of Good Men, for it will give you a Tincture of their Manners too.
Take heed of that Vulgar Error, of thinking that there is any Good in Evil. It is a Mistake when Men talk of Profitable Knavery, or of Starving Honestly; for Virtue and Justice carry All that is Good and Profitable along with them.
Let Every Man mind his own Business, for Curiosity is Restless.
Speak Ill of No body, and you are no more to Hear Calumnies then to Report them: Beside that, they that Practice the One, Commonly Love the Other.
Propose Honest Things; Follow Wholesome Councells, and Leave the Event to God.
Let no man Despair in Adversity, nor presume in Prosperity, for All Things are Changeable.
Rise Early to your Business, Learn Good Things, and Oblige Good Men; These are three Things you shall never Repent of.
Have a Care of Luxury and Gluttony; but of Drunkenness Especicially; for Wine as well as Age makes a Man a Child.
Watch for the Opportunities of doing things, for there's Nothing Well done, but what's done in Season.
Love and Honour Kings, Princes and Magistrates, for they are the Bands of Society, in Punishing the Guilty, and Protecting the Innocent.
These, or such as these, were the Lessons that Æsop read daily to his Son; but so far was he from mending upon Them, that he grew Every Day worse and worse, shewing that it is not in the power of Art or Discipline to Rectify a Perverse Nature, or (as Euripides says) to Make a Man Wise that has no Soul. But however, according to Neveletus, he came soon after to be Touched in Conscience for his Barbarous Ingratitude, and Dyed in a Rageing Remorse for what he had done.
The Spring was now at Hand, and Æsop was preparing for the Task he had Undertaken About the Building of a Tower in the Air, and Resolving All Manner of Questions: But I shall say no more of That Romantick part of the History, then that he went into Ægypt, and Acquitted himselfe of his Commission to Amasis with Greate Reputation. From thence back again to Labynetus, Laden with Honours and Rewards; from whom he got leave to Return into Greece; but upon Condition of Repassing to Babylon by the First Opportunity.