. Æsop's fables : with upwards of one hundred and fifty emblematical devices . poorwretch, and the poor philosopher completelyeasy. Now, the first and chief degree of judg-ment is to know ones self; to be able to makea tolerable estimate of ones own capacity, soas not to speak or undertake any thing whiclimay either injure or make us ridiculous: andyet (as wonderful as it is) there have been menof allowed good sense in particular, and pos-sessed of all desirable qualifications in general,to make life delightful and agreeable, who haveunhappily contrived to match themselves withwomen of a geniu
. Æsop's fables : with upwards of one hundred and fifty emblematical devices . poorwretch, and the poor philosopher completelyeasy. Now, the first and chief degree of judg-ment is to know ones self; to be able to makea tolerable estimate of ones own capacity, soas not to speak or undertake any thing whiclimay either injure or make us ridiculous: andyet (as wonderful as it is) there have been menof allowed good sense in particular, and pos-sessed of all desirable qualifications in general,to make life delightful and agreeable, who haveunhappily contrived to match themselves withwomen of a genius and temper necessarilytending to blast their peace. This proceedsfrom some unaccountable blindness : but whenwealthy plebeians, of mean extraction and unrefined education, as an equivalent for theirmoney, demand brides out of the nurseries ofour peerage, their being despised, or at leastoverlooked, is so unavoidable, unless in extra-ordinary case?, that nothing but a false tasteof glory could make tirem enter upon a schemeso inconsistent and unpromising. 62 FABLE XXV. ^^.. i^ THE MISCHIEVOUS DOG A. CERTAIN man had a Dog, which was sofierce and mischievous, that he was forced tofasten a hea\y clog about liis neck, to keep himfrom running at and worrjnng people. Thisthe vain Cur took for a badge of honourable,distinction; and grew so insolent u})on it, thathe looked down with an air of scorn upon theneighbouring dogs, and refused to keep themcompany. But a sly old poacher, who was oneof the gang, assured him, that he had no rea-son to value himself upon the favour he wore,since it was fixed upt)n him rather as a markof disgrace than of honour. APPLICATION. Some people are so exceeding vain, and atthe same time so dull of apprehension, thatIhcy interpret every thing by which they are FABLE XXV. 53 distinguished from others in their own they betray any weaknesses in conversation,wliich are apt to excite the laughter of theircompany, they make no scruple of ascribing it
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