was No Beaſt, they were Satisfy'd upon the Whole Matter, that though he ſeem'd to be Both, he was yet in Truth neither the One, nor the Other.
The Moral of the Three Fables above.
REFLEXION.
We are here taught in ſome Caſes to Yield to Times and Occaſions; but with a Saving ſtill, to Honour, and to Conſcience. A Wiſe and an Honeſt Man will always Mean the ſame Thing; but he's a Fool that always ſays the ſame Thing. Æſop however Condemns the Double Practices of Trimmers, and All Falſe, Shuffling, and Ambidextrous Dealings. He gives alſo to Underſtand, that Thoſe that pretend at the ſame time to ſerve Two Maſters, are True to Neither.
The Three Fables next above have a Great Affinity One with Another, and yet not without ſome Remarkable Diverſities neither. From the Emblem of the Bat and Weazle, we are to Gather, that there are Certain Ways, Caſes, and Occaſions, wherein, Diſguiſes, and Artificial Evaſions are in ſome Meaſure Allowable, provided only that there be No Scandalous, or Malicious Departure from the Truth. This Shuffling of the Bat in the Paw of the Weazle, was but making the Beſt of what he had to ſay, and to ſhew for Himſelf, toward the ſaving of his Life. There was No Breach of Faith, or of Truſt in't; No Abandoning of a Duty, No Thought of Treachery; Nor in Effect, any thing more in't, than a Fair Chriſtian Way of putting out Falſe Colours.
The Bat that ſtood Neuter, may ſerve for the Character of a Time-ſerving Trimmer: He Betrays his Party, firſt, in withdrawing his Aſſiſtance. Secondly, In going over to the Stronger Side, and Declaring Himſelf an Open Enemy when his Fellows had the Word on't. His Judgment, in fine, was Juſt, and if All Double Dealers and Deſerters were ſerv'd as This Bat was, it would be an Example of Terrour to Renegades and of Encouragement to Honeſt Men.
The Eſtriches Caſe ſeems to be Different from the Other Two. He Fought, (though 'tis not ſaid on which ſide) and he was Taken in the Battel. He had the Shape, but not the Heart of a Trimmer, and it was rather Nature then Fraud, that brought him off. Now there are Many things in an Affair of This Quality that may be Warrantable, even upon the Niceſt Scruples of Honour, in him that ſuffers the Violence, which perchance would not be ſo in the Aggreſſor.
