The fables of young Æsop, with their morals with a moral history of his life and death, illustrated with forty curious cuts applicable to each fable.

Young AeSOP's Life.

IN one of the farthest Parts of Germany, there Liv'd once a worthy and sober Dr. of Phy∣sick, by Name John Lozmani, of an Anti∣ent and Honourable Family: He was a Gen∣tleman no less to be Admir'd for his Exquisite Lear∣ning, than Belov'd for the internal Endowments of a Vertuous and Generous Soul; and One, whose As∣pect might Excite the Affections of a Chaste Princess, as well as Check the wanton Glances of the most Lascivious Lover. To all which, (besides the great Observance, and profound Respect the People paid him) were added, a copious Estate, and plentiful Revenues. He had not arriv'd to above the Age of Twenty, before Heaven Crown'd his Sun-shine Years with the chaste Enjoyments of a Marriage Bed, and made him the Husband of a Young La∣dy, in whom Love and Beauty, as well as Vertue and Chastity, were eminently Predominant. But, tho' Heaven had showr'd its Blessings down in so singular manner upon their Heads, yet it seem'd to deny 'em a long time, That which is the End and Design of Wedlock; the Thoughts of which, with the Apprehension of not leaving Issue behind, to keep up the Name and Honour of a Family, depress'd Lozmani's Spirits, and forc'd him to Affect a solita∣ry and retired Life: But all this, by his Lady's be∣ing happily Deliver'd of a Son, quickly Vanish'd, and the Clouds of Melancholly Dispers'd; his Spirits became more Strong and Lively, and his Joy rais'd to a higher Pitch than before. Glad was he to see Heaven bless him with a Son so Fair, so Beau∣tiful, and so well Proportion'd, in whom the very Heart and Soul of its Parents were bound up. But, alas! when we go about to Assure ourselves of a

Constant Flux of Felicity, and Promise Happiness with its Duration, then are we not only the most Deceiv'd, but render'd, by Fortune's inconstant Mo∣tions, (as to this World) the most Miserable, and the most Unhappy: For,

As in all things, so in poor Mortal's Heart, Sorrow and Joy, by Course, do Act their part: For, Fortune's Course, b'ing Fickle as the Wind, How then can That be Constant, when she's Blind? Nor is she ever Worship'd by the Wise, But only Fools, who make her Throne the Skies.

Thus we see the Mutability of all things: For, this Son, whom they Named Christianus, growing into Years, and proving the exact Picture of his Fa∣ther, he was Educated and Instructed by him, in the ways of Virtue; and had already Learn'd Manners enough to prove himself an Ornament to his Pa∣rents, when (about the Ninth Year of his Age) he Unfortunately fell from the Turret of his Father's House into a Garden adjoyning, whereby he was not only taken up for Dead, but had his Back broke, his Joints dislocated, and his whole Body bruised in a Deplorable manner.

Imagine now what Scenes of Sorrow attended it: And Guess how great an Impression it made upon the Hearts of Two loving and indulgent Parents, who would have parted with all their Wealth to have prevented It, if possible! But, such is the ir∣revocable Decree of Heaven, that an Alexander, whose Arms Punish'd all the known World, till it Confess'd him Conquerour, can no more Evade the Poyson of his Cup-bearer, Antipater's Son, than a Croesus, with all his Wealth, pretend to Bribe a De∣ity! If we expect to Enjoy an immortal Gift, we must not allow ourselves in the excessive Transports of the Passions of the Mind: A Mediocrity in Tem∣per, will Fortify us against all the Disappointments in Nature; and preserve to us, at least, the Idea and Remembrance of what our Senses once Delighted in, when Passion robs us of this, and our Reason too.

Passion, ah Passion, spoils the Nobler Parts, And makes fond Mortals Deify their Hearts; Vexing the Spirits with Impure Dissentions, Pushing us on, t'Adore our own Inventions. ''And very few are free from this Infection, ''For every one's a Slave to some Affection. But, ah! Ten Thousand times more Happy's he, Who Subdues Passion, and sets Reason free; That his weak Opticks may more clearly 'spye The Imperfections that proceed thereby.

But, to return, As Christianus was so Unfortunate in the Juvenal of his Years, to be made a Cripple; so he became the more Helpless, and outwardly Mi∣serable: For his Deformity so Discompos'd his Mother, that soon after she made a Chamber her Consinement, and in a little time her Aspect became Pale and Wan; the Vermilion of her Cheeks were wash'd off with Pearly Tears; and her Eyes affect∣ed nothing more than the ghastly Ideas of the King of Terrours, and his silent Urn; her Brows were Depress'd with Clouds of Melancholly; and all her Actions, Discourse and Conversation, spoke nothing but deep Resentments of a troubled and discontent∣ed Mind: The Excess of which Passion hurry'd her into a Hectick Fever, of which, (maugre all the In∣dearments of a tender and loving Husband) she in a most Sorrowful and Tragical manner, gave up the Ghost.

Never was a Gentleman more Disconsolate than ••ozmani: Grief over-whelm'd his Heart; and his Soul continually disburthen'd it self, by breathing out passionate Complaints, and dolourous Sighs: And, what with the Death of his Lady, and the Deform∣ity of his Son, he was reduc'd to a low and weak Condition. His Friends being Concerned to see him so, and perceiving him in a deep Consumpti∣on, they, with all the tender Expressions of Love and Affection, indeavour'd to expel the Grief which had Seiz'd his Mind; but all in Vain, for he rejected their Visits, refus'd their Counsels, despis'd their

Comforts, and wholly deny'd himself the Society of his own Family. Thus he Linger'd out a Month or Two, till he found his Vitals ready to take Flight, when he sent for his Brother in Law; to whom he Communicated his Grief in the following Manner.

Brother! Mortals may imagine, that by their Wealth they are secur'd from Vicissitude and its Con∣sequences; and that Fortune hath lost her Power, and is Subject to the Controuls of a Guilded Purse, or the Amorous Looks of a Fair Beauty: But, alas, so long as we are Born with Affection, and suffer it to Reign Arbitrary over our other Powers, we are not Sensible that she is Hood-winck'd both to Wealth and Grandeur, as well as Poverty and Want: Nor will we Believe, that what Favours she heaps upon us at One time, she may Sweep away at another. Who would have Thought, a Person so Rich and Wealthy; so Well-belov'd, and Esteem'd; so much Refpected, and Admir'd; so Bless'd in the soft Em∣braces of a vertuous and loving Wife; and, in fine, once so Happy in the Enjoyment of a Son, who••e Beauty seem'd to be the Master-piece of Nature—∣I say, Who would have imagin'd a Person once so Fortunate, should have Liv'd to see so dire a Catastrophe befall him? Ah, have I Liv'd to see the Lady of my Affections, my Bosome-Friend, and the Soul of my Love, surrender up all the Efforts of Nature, all the Ravishing Endearments of Love and Beauty, and all the Conjugal Affections of a Wife to her Husband, into the Hands of that grim Tyrant Death! And, shall this Memory of mine forget her, and Live, with nothing to feast my Opticks on, but the Deformity of a Son? No, no; Maugre all the Delusive Advice, to stay and linger out my Days here, I'll force my Fate, and compel Atropos to Cut this Thred of Life—

And here Lozmani Swooning, he seem'd as if he had already taken Possession of another World, till his Senses were retriev'd, when opening his Eyes, he thus went on:—I am glad my Dissolution arriv'd

not, before I Bequeath'd my Son to your Care, and my Estate to your Self, for his Maintainance: I Conjure you by all that's Just and Sacred, on pain of suffering here all the Horrours of Conscience that can be inflicted on a Perjur'd Soul, to do no other∣wise by him, than becomes a loving Uncle, and what the deplorable Condition of a Fatherless Kinsman calls for: To which the Brother Assenting with an Oath, Christianus was call'd for by his Father, who in the midst of a Flood of Tears, Embracing him, recommended him to his Uncle, and Dy'd.

Thus we see the Tragical End of Lozmani and his Lady. By this, I would have my Young Reader ob∣serve, what Love and Affection, some Parents have for their Children; as well as Advise Parents to see the Folly of immoderate Grief, the Misery of Idol∣izing their Children, and the Danger of Repining at the Decree of Heaven. Shall we hasten the running out that little Sand left us, because the Almighty Recalls the Talent HE hath Lent us? Consider;

—Facilis descen••us Averni; Sed revocare gradum, superasque eva dere ad auras Hoc Opus, hic Labor est—Virg. Aen. 6.

Thus;

Down-hill to th' Shades you go a Facile way; But to return, and re-enjoy the day, That is a Work, a Labor,—

An Impossibility! Is it not better then, to prompt Nature with a Mind Calm and Serene, than to hurry ourselves with Passion into those dark Recesses of the Dead, from whence there is no Regress into this Life again? Chilo the Philosopher, (Plin. l. 7. c. 32.) who so much abhorr'd the Excess of Passion, and used to say, Nequid nimium Cupias; Desire no∣thing too much. Was not exempt from the Punish∣ment thereof: for the Old Man dy'd with Joy, when his Son return'd Victor from the Olympick Games. Without we can take to ourselves Immortality, it is Madness for Mortals to imagine Heaven is obli∣ged to Preserve what we Affect; and a Crime of∣ten

Punish'd, not only by the removal of the Object, but by the privation of the Adorer's Life. None can Evade those Decretive Actions Subordinate to the Series of their Lives. And this I call Fate, which Tully saith, GOD hath Decreed and Resolved shall come to pass.

But to proceed, Christianus was no sooner taken home to his Uncle's House, but he as soon ••ound the Want of his Parents His Uncle soon broke the Oath he had made, forcing him to Labour with his Slaves beyond his Strength; and in a little time most unnaturally turn'd him into the wide World to shift. Christianus being thus depriv'd of an Habitation, he wander'd up and down Contented with the Courtesy of some, and the Reproaches of others: All which drave him the more to Contemplate his own Frail∣ty, and Contemn the Vanity of this World's Enjoy∣ments: Till at length, as he was returning thro' the Fields into the City, with a Company of wick∣ed Children attending him, he was Pityed by a Re∣ligious Merchant, who took him into his Family; where he Liv'd Belov'd and Admir'd nigh Two Years, at which time, to the great Grief of the Merchant and his Lady, he fell Sick of the Small-pox, and Died, being Honoured with a Decent and Solemn Funeral.

Thus he was taken Care of by the Almighty, and no doubt has the Reward of those who shun Vice, and its Attendants. But to let my Reader see, that Heaven never suffers the Guilty to go unpunished, I will Conclude all with this one Instance.

The Perjur'd and Unnatural Brother having Liv'd in Excess and Prodigality on his Brother's Estate, a considerable time, and afterwards meeting with great Losses at Sea; the Thoughts of which, together with the Gnawings of his Conscience, for Perjury, and Vil∣lany, to his Brother and Christianus, forc'd him in Despair, to sling himself Head-long from the Top of a high Clif•• into the Sea: Where we will leave him, suffering the Punishments of the Furies, which

are the Stings of an evil. Conscience; where, as Cice∣ro saith, Every one's own Fraud, and his own Terrour Frets him most: Every one's own Wickedness Tor∣ments and Inrages him; his own Evil Thoughts, and the Lashes▪ of Conscience affright him. These are Constant and Domestick Fur••es to the Wicked, that Night and day expect the Punishment that their Crimes deserve.

This World affords, at best, no other Life, Than what is Complicated up with Strife: For in this lesser Orb, we Mortals see, The very Eliments at Variance be; The flitting Air, and solid Earth make War; And th' Fire and Water, nothing do but Jar: No Wonder then, we Mortals Change and Fade, When we of Fickle Elements are made. Wealth, Beauty, Honour, and Preferment high, No sooner come from Heav'n, but back they fly: Whilst those poor Souls who fix therein their trust By Heav'ns Blasts are blown away like Dust, And plung'd in Mis'ry with the Ambitious Soul, For, where's the Mortal can the Fates Controul? But if we would Live Undisturb'd and Free, And shun the Labyrinth of Misery, Let's seek [ah, seek and find, poor Souls distrest!] A humble Cottage, where Life lives at Rest; And feed our Vitals, [maugre horrid Strife] On that we Mortals call, The Bread of Life: Quenchin•• that Thirst, which doth our Spirits cloy, By Drinking everlastig Streams of Joy. This Summum Bonum if we hope to have, We must Conform to th' Advice which Solon gave Contemn this World, and follow Wisdom's Rule: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is most Wise who thinks himself most Fool.