THE first time the Fox saw the Lion, he fell down at his feet, and was ready to die with fear. The second time, he took courage, and could even bear to look upon him. The third time, he had the impudence to come up to him, to salute him, and to enter into familiar conversation with him.

MORAL. Familiarity breeds contempt.

APPLICATION. This short fable is very apposite. It depicts the two great faults into which underbred persons are apt to fall in their behaviour to their

superiors. They either entertain an awkward and undue fear, which proceeds from ignorance, inexperience, and extreme rusticity, or they assume a forwardness and familiarity which are offensive and insufferable. The true gentleman will alike avoid both these extremes.

Custom makes mortals bold
To play with that they durst not once behold.

Thus injudicious, while one fault we shun,
Into its opposite extreme we run.

THE Ape meeting the Fox one day, humbly requested him to give him some of the hairs from his fine long brush to make into a covering, as he was so exposed to all the violence and inclemency of the weather. "For," says he, "Reynard, you have already more tail than you have occasion for, and a great part of it even drags along in the dirt." The Fox answered, "That as to his having too much, that was more than he knew; but be it as it would, he had rather sweep the ground with his tail as long as he lived, than deprive himself of a single hair to gratify an Ape."

MORAL. He that goes a- borrowing, goes a-sorrowing.

APPLICATION. Charity begins at home; but it should not, as is too often the case, end there. Riches in the hand of a wise and generous man should, like the light and rain, diffuse blessings on all around. The conduct of the Fox in this fable (of which the counterpart is common enough among men) is not amiable, and cannot be commended. The poor relation has claims on the aid of his wealthy kinsman; and a loan granted with judgment and precaution is often of great good. It has been well said:

Who bears him gently to his own relations,
Will ne'er show hard to others.

The most perspicuous lesson, however, inculcated by this fable is summed up in the proverb, “Would you know the value of money? go and borrow some.”

Neither a borrower nor a lender be;

For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

Who quick be to borrow, and slow be to pay,
Their credit is naught, be they ever so gay.

A HANDSOME young Cock, raking upon a dunghill for food for his hens, scratched up with his spurred claw a very precious stone, which sparkled with an exceedingly bright lustre. "Ah!" said the bird, "thou art a very fine thing, but I know not any business thou hast here. If thine owner had found thee, he would have rejoiced; but to me thou art of no use, nor do I value thee at all. I would rather have one grain of dear delicious barley than all the precious stones under the sun."

MORAL. All is not gold that glitters.