350 FABLES. 



APPLICATION. 



THIS Fable shews us the impropriety and incon- 

 venience of running into extremes, and teaches us, 

 that under all the various and sudden vicissitudes 

 of human life, we ought to bear success with 

 moderation, and misfortune with fortitude and 

 equanimity; to repress immoderate exultation, and 

 unmanly despair. Much of our happiness depends 

 upon keeping an even balance in our words and 

 actions, and in not suffering circumstances to 

 mount us too high in time of prosperity, nor to 

 sink us too low with the w r eight of adverse fortune. 

 A wise man will not place too high a value on 

 blessings w r hich he knows to be no more than 

 temporary ; nor will he repine at evils, whose 

 duration may perhaps be but short, and cannot 

 be eternal. He will submit himself with humility 

 and resignation to the decrees of Providence, and 

 the will of heaven. In prosperity, the fear of evil 

 will check the insolence of triumph; and in adver- 

 sity, the hope of good will sustain his spirit, and 

 teach him to endure his misfortunes with constancy 

 and fortitude. 



m. 



