. Fables of Aesop and others. and honesty in theirdealings with each other, and upon any mistake or misappre-hension, were always ready to refer the matter to disinterestedumpires of acknowledged judgment and integrity, they nevercould have the least occasion for lawyers. When people havegone to law, it is rarely to be found but one or both parties waseither stupidly obstinate, or rashly inconsiderate. For, if thecase should happen to be so intricate, that a man of commonsense could not distinguish who had the best title, how easywould it be to have the opinion of the best counsel in the land,
. Fables of Aesop and others. and honesty in theirdealings with each other, and upon any mistake or misappre-hension, were always ready to refer the matter to disinterestedumpires of acknowledged judgment and integrity, they nevercould have the least occasion for lawyers. When people havegone to law, it is rarely to be found but one or both parties waseither stupidly obstinate, or rashly inconsiderate. For, if thecase should happen to be so intricate, that a man of commonsense could not distinguish who had the best title, how easywould it be to have the opinion of the best counsel in the land,and agree to determine it by that? If it should appear dubiouseven afler that, how much better would it be to divide the thingin dispute, rather than go to law, and hazard the losing, notonly the whole, but costs and damages into the bargain? Inshort, if people were but really as well bred, as sensible andhonest as they would be thought to be, nobody would go to law. y2 258 yESOPS FABLES. FAR CXLII. The Fox and the Sick It was reported that the Lion was sick, and thebeasts were made to believe, that they could not maketheir court better, than by going to visit him. Uponthis, they generally went; but it was particularly ta-ken notice of, that the Fox was not among the num-ber. The Lion, therefore, dispatched one of hisJackals to sound him about it, and ask him why hehad so little charity and respect, as never to comenear him at a time when he lay so dangerously ill,and every body else had been to see him. Why, re-plies the Fox, pray present my duty to his majesty,and tell him that I have the same respect for him agever, and have been coming several times to kiss hisroyal hand; but I am so terribly frightened at themouth of his cave, to see the print of my fellow sub-jects feet all pointing forwards, and none backwards,that I had not resolution enough to venture in. Nowthe truth of the matter was, that this sickness of the iESOPS FABLES. 259 Lion s was only a sham to draw
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