FABLES. 



285 



THE FOX AND THE LION. 



THE first time the P"ox 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. 



APPLICATION. 



FROM this Fable we may observe the two 

 extremes in \vhich we may fail as to a proper 

 behaviour towards our superiors. The one is a 

 bashfulness, proceeding either from a vicious guilty 

 mind, or a timorous rusticity; the other an over- 

 bearing impudence, which assumes more than 

 becomes it, and so renders the person insuffer- 

 able to the conversation of well-bred reasonable 



