Bord, who deſir'd to be Enform'd, whether the Worthy Member that Mov'd againſt the Wearing of Tayles, gave his Advice for the Advantage of Thoſe that Had Tayles, or to Palliate the Deformity and Diſgrace of Thoſe that had None.
The Moral.
REFLEXION.
'Tis the way of the World to give Other People Councell for their Own Ends. Paradoxing is of Great Uſe and Service in many Encounters and Accidents that we meet withal in the World; but the Faculty muſt be ſo Tenderly Manag'd, as not to Grate upon the Truth, and Reaſon of Things: And it is of Great Effect, if it can but give ſome Colour of Probability to the Matter in Queſtion. Nay ther's a Pleaſure in the very Tryal of Wits; but when This Talent is Employ’d upon the Topique of Convenience, and Profit; It is a wonderful Force that it has upon the Affections of the Common People. The Fox carry'd it as far as 'twould go; but he had too Hard a Task on't, to Over-rule a Multitude to their Own Pain and Loſs.
We may Emprove a Doctrine from This, that Every Man has his Weak Side, either by Miſchance, or by Nature; and that he makes it his Bus'neſs to Cover it too, the Beſt he can. In cafe of the Worſt, it is ſome ſort of Eaſe to have Company in our Misfortunes. It puts a Body our of Countenance to be in a Faſhion by Himſelf, and therefore the Fox did well to Try if he could bring his Fellow Foxes to put themſelves into His Mode. When we have Carry'd a Point as far as it will go, and can make no more on't, 'tis a Stroke of Art and Philoſophy, to look as if we did not ſo much as With for a Thing that is not to be Had. Every Man's Preſent Condition has ſomewhat to be Sayd for’t: If it be Uneaſy, the Skill will be, either how to Mend it, or how to Beare it: But then there muſt be no Claſhing with the Methods, the Decrees, and the Laws of Nature. A Man that has Forfeited his Honour and his Conſcience, ſeems to be much in the Condition of the Fox here that had loſt his Tayle, and takes as much pains too, to perſuade All his Companions to follow his Faſhton. He lays down his Arguments, and gives his REASONS, Nay, and he endeavours to Prove it by Scripture too, that Men, in ſuch a Caſe, ought to go to Old Nick for Company. We are to Conſider here, that the Devils have their Traps as well as the Woodmen, and that it is the Caſe of many a Lawyer and Divine, when they come once to be Hamper'd, to rubb off as well as they can, though they Leave their Conſciences behind them, as the Fox did his Tayle, and then Preach up the Bleſſed Doctrine and Convenience of No Conſciences, as well as No Tayles.
Fab.
