. Fables of Aesop and others. s fable gives us to understand, that there is no personin the world so httle, but even the greatest may, at sometime or other, stand in need of his assistance ; and conse-quently that it is good to use clemency, where there is anyroom for it, towards those who fall in our power. A gen-erosity of this kind is a handsome virtue, and looks verygraceful whenever it is exerted, if there were nothing elsein it; but as the lowest people in life may, upon occasion,have it in their power either to serve or hurt us, thatmakes it our duty, in point of common interest, to beh

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. Fables of Aesop and others. s fable gives us to understand, that there is no personin the world so httle, but even the greatest may, at sometime or other, stand in need of his assistance ; and conse-quently that it is good to use clemency, where there is anyroom for it, towards those who fall in our power. A gen-erosity of this kind is a handsome virtue, and looks verygraceful whenever it is exerted, if there were nothing elsein it; but as the lowest people in life may, upon occasion, have it in their power either to serve or hurt us, thatmakes it our duty, in point of common interest, to behaveourselves with good nature and lenity towards all Avithwhom we have to do. Then the gratitude of the mouse, and liis readiness, not only to repay, but even to exceedthe obligation due to his benefactor, notwithstanding hislittle body, gives us a specimen of a great soul, which isnever so much delighted as with an opportunity of show-ing how sensible it is of favours received. 76 ^SOPS FABLES. FAB. XXXII. The Fatal Marriage.. The Lion aforesaid, touched with the grateful pro-cedure of the Mouse, and resolved not to be outdonein generosity by any wild beast whatever, desired hislittle deliverer to name his own terms, for that hemight depend upon his complying with any proposalhe should make. The Mouse, fired with ambition atthis gracious offer, did not so much consider whatwas proper for him to have, as what was in thepower of his prince to grant: and so, presumptuouslydemanded his princely daughter, the young Lioness, in marriage. The Lion consented. But when hewould have given the royal virgin into his possession, she, like a giddy thing as she was, not minding howshe walked, by chance set her paw upon her spouse, who was coming to meet her, and crushed her littledear to pieces. ^SOPS FABLES. T7 TKt APPLICATION. This fable seems intended to show us how miserable somepeople make themselves by a wrong choice, when they have allthe good things in the world spread before them to cho