Houſe, in ſhort, was to be the Young Man’s Priſon, and the Father made himſelf his Keeper. There were a World of Paintings Every where up and down, and among the Reſt, there was the Picture of a Lyon; which ſtirred the Bloud of the Young Man, for the Dream ſake, and to think that he ſhould now be a Slave for the Phanſy of ſuch a Beaſt. In this Indignation he made a Blow at the Picture; but Striking his Fiſt upon the Point of a Nayle in the Wall, His Hand Cancerated; he fell into a Fever, and ſoon after Dy'd on’t: So that all the Father's Precaution could not Secure the Son from the Fatality of Dying, by a Lyon.
The Moral.
REFLEXION.
'Tis to no Purpoſe to think of Preventing, or Diverting Fatalitics: Eſpecially where the Event looks like the Puniſhment of a Superſtition: as it fares with Thoſe that Govern their Lives by Forebodings and Dreames: or the Signs of Ill Luck, as we uſe to ſay: They are ſtill Anxious and Uneaſic, Hiſtory is full of Examples to Illuſtrate the Doctrine of This Fable. The Father was to blame for laying ſo much Streſs upon a Fooliſh Dream, and the Son was Little leſs to Blame, for being ſo much Tranſported at the Impreſſion of That Fancy upon the Father: But they were Both Juſtly Puniſhed however, The One for his Paſſion, and the Other for his Superſtition.
Fab. CI.
A Fox that loſt his Tayle.
THere was a Fox taken in a Trap, that was glad to Compound for his Neck by leaving his Tayle behind him. It was ſo Uncouth a Sight, for a Fox to appear without a Tayle, that the very Thought on't made him e'en Weary of his Life; for 'twas a Loſs never to be Repair'd: But however for the Better Countenance of the Scandal, he got the Maſter and Wardens of the Foxes Company to call a Court of Aſſiſtants, where he himſelf appear'd, and made a Learned Diſcourſe upon the Trouble, the Uſeleſsneſs, and the Indecency of Foxes Wearing Tayles. He had no ſooner ſay'd out his Say, but up riſes a Cunning Snap, then at theBord,
