Fab. XXI
A Dog and a Thief.
AS a Gang of Thieves were at work to Rob a Houſe, a Maſtiff took the Alarum, and fell a Baying: One of the Company ſpoke him Fair, and would have Stopt his Mouth with a Cruſt: No, ſays the Dog, This will not do, for Several Reaſons. Firſt, I'll take no Bribes to Betray my Maſter. Secondly, I am not ſuch a Fool neither, as to fell the Eaſe and Liberty of my Whole Life to come, for a piece of Bread in Hand: For when you have Rifled my Maſter; pray who ſhall Maintain Me?
The Moral.
REFLEXION.
When Ill Men take up a Fit of Kindneſs all on a ſudden, and appear to be Better Natur'd than Uſual, 'tis Good Diſcretion to ſuſpect Fraud, and to lay their Words, and their Practices together: The Greater the Truſt, the Greater is the Treachery, and the Baſer is the Villany too. This Moral reaches to All ſorts of Truſtees whatſoever.
It were well if All Two-Footed Servants were but as Faithful to their Maſters as This Four-Legg'd Animal. A Loaf of Bread was as much to Him as a Bag of Guineas to a Great Officer; And why ſhould not the One make as much Conſcience of Betraying his Patron for Gold, as the Other of doing it for a Cruſt? Beſide the Right Reaſoning of the Dog uppon the Conſequence of Things. If I take Your Bread, (ſays he) You'll Rob My Maſter. But in the Other caſe it is not ſo much a Deliberation of what will follow upon't, as a kind of Tacit Compoſition, that does as good as ſay [For ſo much Mony I'll ſhut my Eyes, and let You Rib my Maſter.] Here's an Emblem now, of the Foreſight, Fidelity, and Duty of a Truſty Servant, on the One hand, and of the Flattery, Arts and Practices that are Employ'd by Evil Men to Corrupt him on the Other.
Under the figure of This Faithful Truſty Servant; is Couch'd a Lecture to All men of Buſineſs; let them be Councellors, Confidents, Favourites, Officers, Soldiers, Traders, or what you will. For there are Good and Bad of All Kinds and Profeſſions. So that Æſop's Dog is a Reproach to Falſe Men. Publick Perſons have their ways of Temptation, and Addreſs, as well as Private. And He that ſuffers a Government to be Abus'd by Careleſneſs, or Neglect, does the Same thing, with Him that Maliciouſly and Corruptly ſets himſelf to Cozen it. This holds as well too in the Private Caſe of being either Principal or Acceſſory to the Robbing of a Houſe; Only the Former, is a Treachery of a Deeper Dye. There arc Loaves at the Gates of Courts and Palaces, as well as at the Door of a Cottage; and to Encourage the Abuſe, there are a Thouſand Quirks to avoid the Stroke ofthe
