212 
THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL. 
him to grant them such control over his property as 
would enable them to exact a strict observance of the 
vow, thus addressed him : — 
“ O ! Purwatti, let no mortal trust in his own 
foresight. How has thine own most sad experience 
taught thee ? Hast thou at all times had it in thy 
power, even when thy will and thy duty were at 
peace, to fulfil with sufficient faithfulness thy own 
vows or the sacred injunctions of thy dying father ? 
Frequently, when the good intentions of men are 
most forward, ability is at the ebb ; and again, when 
the power is at hand inclination is sometimes want- 
ing. Take warning by the past, and let not thy 
safety depend solely upon thine own strength; but 
invest us, thy trusty friends, with authority to provide 
for the exact performance of these sacred obligations. 
Have you not had awful proof that the wisdom of 
one man is abject folly P Wisdom and discretion are 
only to be found in the council of many. Is it not 
truly said, that the knowledge of a wise man may be 
turned into folly by the concurrent testimony of two 
or three fools ? Listen, Purwatti, to the story of 
THE BRAHMIN AND HIS GOAT, 
and you will immediately acknowledge the truth of 
what I have said. It will be seen that even a Brah- 
min was led to distrust his own senses by the impu- 
dent lying of three knaves. Who then can venture to 
