AThunny gave Chace to a Dolphin; and when he was juſt ready to ſeize him, the Thunnyſtruck before he was aware, and the Dolphin, in the Eagerneſs of his Purſuit, ran himſelf a ground with him. They were Both Loſt; but the Thunny kept his Eye ſtill upon the Dolphin, and Obſerving him when he was Juſt ac Laſt Gaſp: Well, ſays he, the Thought of Death is
now Eaſy to me, ſo long as I ſee my Enemy go for Company.
Fab. XCI.
Two Enemies at Sea.
THere were Two Enemies at Sea in the ſame Veſſel, the One at the Ships Head, the Other at the Stern. It Blew a Dreadful Storm, and when the Veſſel was juſt ready to beſwallow d up, One of ‘em Ask’d the Maſter, which Part of the Ship would be Firſt under Water; ſo he told him the T'other End would Sink firſt. Why then, ſays he, I ſhall have the Comfort of ſeeing my Enemy go before me.
The Moral of the Two fables above.
'Tis a Wretched Satisfaction, that a Revengeful Man takes, even in the Loſing of his Own Life, provided that his Enemy may go for Company.
REFLEXION.
There is ſome Comfort in Company, even in a State of Adverſity. Society is ſo Neceſſary and Agreeable to Mankind in All Caſes, that Death is Certainly the More Uneaſy for a Man’s going alone into Another World: But the Conſolation Pointed at in This Fable, is That which an Envious Man takes in the Ruine of his Enemy. There is a Memorable Inſtance to This Purpoſe, of a Gentleman that had an Eſtate for Lives, and Two of his Tenants in the Leaſe: One of them dyes, and the Other deſires his Landlord to lay Both Farms into One, and Accept of Him for his Tenant. The Gentleman fairly Excus’d Himſelf, and away goes the Man in a Rage to his Wife; Told her how it was, and Swore a Great Oath, that he would be Revenge'd of his Landlord. This was in Harveſt Time, and he went out next day to his Reapers, but ſtay'd ſo long, that his Wife ſent up and down to look after him. To ſhorten the Story, they found him at laſt in a Ditch,
