The Moral.
REFLEXION.
This Fancy is Half Knavery, Half Humour, and the Doctors Part in’t is no more then according to the Common Practice of the World, in Law, as well as in Phyſick, when People make the Remedy Worſe then the Diſeaſe; as when a Man ſpends the Fee Simple of an Eſtate in a Conteſt for the Title. The Barber that Pick’d a Gentlemans Pocket while he was Waſhing of his Face, Wrote after This Copy. The Moral holds forth This Matter of Advice to us, not to Contract any Obligations Raſhly; for Good Offices in courſe are rather Baits, and Snares, then Benefits; and there are ſome Certain People, that a Sober Man would not Venture the being Beholden to. The Poor Woman here, had her Jeſt for her Houſhold-Stuff; and the Vain Satisfaction of Paying her Phyſician with a Conceit for his Mony. It Minds me of the Orator that was to Teach a Young Man Rhetorick, on Condition of Double Pay upon the Perfecting of him in his Profeſſion, and not a Penny before; The Maſter follow’d his Scholar Cloſe, and came to him at laſt for his Mony, according to the Bargain: The Young Fellow begg'd him over and over to Forbear it a while, but could not Prevail. He told him Then, that there was nothing Due to him; for if Rhetorick be (as you ſay) the Art or Power of Perſuaſion; and if I cannot prevail with you to forbear Your Mony, I am not Maſter of my Trade yet. This was the Woman's Way of Reaſoning with the Phyſician. The Dr. would have his Mony for the Curing of her Eyes, and the Woman ſhuffl'd it off that ſhe was not Cur'd, for ſhe could ſee Nothing at all, which was Once Fallacy upon Another.
Fab CXV.
A Cat and Mice.
THere was a Houſe Mightily troubled with Mice, and a Notable Cat there was, that Time after Time had Pickd up ſo Many of 'em, that they agreed among themſelves to keep above in the Cieling; for they found that upon the Plain Floor there was No Living for em. This Spoil’d Puſſes Sport, unleſs ſhe could find a way to Trepan them Down again. So ſhe Leapt up to a Pin that was driven into the Wall, and there Hung like a Polcat in a Warren, to Amuſe them. The Mice took Notice of it, and One Wiſer then the reſt Stretched out his Neck to learn the Truth of the Matter, and ſo ſoon as ever he found how ‘twas.Ah,
