Some observations on the fables of Æsop as commented upon by Sir Roger L'Estrange, kt. Yet not on all, for some need not any addition or review, and there be many of them which are coincident as to the individual scope, I mean the same moral instruction, which is couched in them. Illustrated with several pertinent stories of antient and modern history. By a divine of the Church of Scotland.

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Title: Some observations on the fables of Æsop as commented upon by Sir Roger L'Estrange, kt. Yet not on all, for some need not any addition or review, and there be many of them which are coincident as to the individual scope, I mean the same moral instruction, which is couched in them. Illustrated with several pertinent stories of antient and modern history. By a divine of the Church of Scotland.
Author: Gordon, James, 1640?-1714.
Publication: Edinburgh :: printed for Mr. Andrew Symson, and are to be sold by him at the foot of the Horse-Wynd in the Cowgate; and by Mr. Henry Knox in the Lucken-Booths,; M. DCC. [1700]
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Subject terms: L'Estrange, Roger, -- Sir 1616-1704 -- Early works to 1800.; Aesop's fables -- Criticism, interpretation, etc -- Early works to 1800.
Cite this Item: "Some observations on the fables of Æsop as commented upon by Sir Roger L'Estrange, kt. Yet not on all, for some need not any addition or review, and there be many of them which are coincident as to the individual scope, I mean the same moral instruction, which is couched in them. Illustrated with several pertinent stories of antient and modern history. By a divine of the Church of Scotland." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A41556.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 1, 2024.

Pages

FAB. XCII. XCIII. XCIV. Page 87.

He might have told that Story mentioned by Iosephus the Iewish Historian, concerning a Roman General who marching with his Army in some part of Syria, an Augur instantly advised him to halt, because, said he, there is a little Bird which by the Motion of its Wings progonsticats ill luck to the Ro∣man Army, if we go any further that way; the General desired to see the o∣minous Bird, and being a dextrous Archer, he shot it dead with a Dart; then turning towards the Soath-sayer, he said, we are very great fools to i∣magin that the sillie Bird should have known our Fate, since it understood no∣thing of its own Destiny; therefore he immediatly advanceth with his army and found not the lest misfortune in that way.

There is also another notable Story to this Purpose (which abundantly de∣ciphers the Vanity of such Impostures) After the shamefull Defeat of the Ro∣man Army under Marcus Crassus, and the most ignominious Death of their General for all his Wealth. Cassius (even the same who afterwards with Bru∣tus assasinated the great Caesar) aving brought off a considerable part of the Cavalry, now tho' their safty consisted in their flight; yet a foolish Astrologue had the confidence to say to him that it was mighy dangerous for them all to proceed one-foot further, till the Moon had gone out of the Sign Capricorn, O•…•… said Gassins, (for He was a great Scholar) I fear that of Sagittarius much more; alluding (by the Name of that other Sign of the Zodiac) unto the Par∣thian Arrows; so that by making no stay in the Vieu of the Enemy, He brought off that Remainder of a miserable Army, without any further pre∣judice from their more powerfull Pursuers.

I shall shut up this point with a wittie Reflection of Cato the elder upon all such Impostures at Rome, for he many times admired that when the Aru∣spices, the Augurs and Star-Gazers (all which passed under the general name of Sooth-Sayers) did meet one another, that they did not laugh heartily for their deluding and cheating the World so long with their manifold Fopperies, Lyes and Deceits.