128 FABLES. 



to the contrary; but they who want foresight 

 should hearken to the council of 'the wise, as this 

 might have the effect of preventing their spending 

 much time and good offices on the undeserving, 

 perhaps to the utter ruin of themselves. It is the 

 duty of all men to act fairly, openly, and honestly, 

 in all their transactions in life; to do justice to all; 

 but to consider well the character of those on whom 

 they would confer favours: for gratitude is one of 

 the rarest as well as the greatest of virtues. The 

 Fable is intended to shew that we should never 

 have any dealings with bad men, even to do them 

 kindnesses. Men of evil principles are a genera- 

 tion of vipers, that ought to be crushed ; and every 

 rogue should be looked upon by honest men as a 

 venomous serpent. The man who is occasionally, 

 or by accident, one's enemy, may be mollified by 

 kindness, and reclaimed by good usage: such a 

 behaviour both reason and morality expect from 

 us : but we should ever resolve, if not to suppress, 

 at least to have no connexion with those whose 

 blood is tinctured with hereditary, habitual villainy,, 

 and their nature leavened with evil, to such a de- 

 gree as to be incapable of a reformation. 



