way, thou shalt not take the dam with the << young: But thou shalt in any wife let the dam go, that it may be well with thee, and that "thou may'st prolong thy days."

To conclude, there is certainly a degree of gratitude owing to those animals that ferve us; as for fuch as are mortal or noxious, we have a right to destroy them; and for thofe that are neither of advantage or prejudice to us, the common enjoyment of life is what I cannot think we ought to deprive them of.

This whole matter, with regard to each of these confiderations, is fet in a very agreeable light in one of the Perfian fables of Pilpay, with which I fhall end this paper.

A traveller paffing thro' a thicket, and feeing a few sparks of a fire, which fome passengers had kindled as they went that way before, made up to it. On a sudden the fparks caught hold of a bush, in the midft of which lay an adder, and set it in flames. The adder intreated the traveller's affiftance, who tying a bag to the end of his ftaff, reached it, and drew him out: he then bid him go where he pleased, but never more be hurtful to men, fince he owed his life to a man's compaffion. The adder, however, prepared to fting him, and when he expoftulated how unjuft it was to retaliate good with evil, I fhall do no more (faid the adder) than what you men practife every day, whofe custom it is to requite

The

benefits with ingratitude. If you can deny this truth, let us refer it to the first we meet. man confented, and feeing a Tree, put the queftion to it, in what manner a good turn was to be recompenced? If you mean according to the ufage of Men (reply'd the Tree) By its contrary. I have been standing here thefe hundred years to protect them from the fcorching fun, and in requital they have cut down my branches, and are going to faw my body into planks. Upon this the adder infulting the man, he appealed to a fecond evidence, which was granted, and immediately they met a Cow. The fame demand was made, and much the fame anfwer given, that among men it was certainly fo I know it, faid the Cow, by woful experience; for I have served a man this long time with milk, butter and cheefe, and brought him befides a Calf every year: but now I am old, he turns me into this pafture, with defign to fell me to a butcher, who will fhortly make an end of me. The traveller this ftood confounded, but defired of courtesy one trial more, to be finally judged by the next beast they should This happened to be the Fox, who upon hearing the story in all its circumstances, could not be perfuaded it was poffible for the adder to get into fo narrow a bag. The adder to convince him went in again; the Fox told the man he had now his enemy in his power, and with that he fastened the bag, and crushed him to pieces.

meet.

upon

N°. 91.

June 25, 1713.

ineft fua gratia parvis.

VIRG.

“I

TO NESTOR IRONSIDE, Efq;

SIR,

Remember a faying of yours concerning per

fons in low circumftances of ftature, that their "littleness would hardly be taken notice of, if they "did not manifeft a consciousness of it themfelves "in all their behaviour. Indeed the obfervation "that no man is ridiculous for being what he is, "but only for the affectation of being something more, is equally true in regard to the mind and "the body.

I question not but it will be pleafing to you "to hear, that a fett of us have formed a fociety, "who are fworn to dare to be short, and boldly "bear out the dignity of littleness under the nofes "of those enormous engroffers of manhood, those hyperbolical monfters of the Species, the tall "fellows that overlook us.

"The day of our inftitution was the tenth of "December, being the shortest of the year, on "which we are to hold an annual Feaft over a dish of Shrimps.

"The place we have chofen for this meeting is "in the little Piazza, not without an eye to the neighbourhood of Mr. Powel's Opera, for the performers of which, we have, as becomes us, "a brotherly affection.

"At our first refort hither, an old woman brought her fon to the Club Room, defiring he "might be educated in this School, because the "faw here were finer Boys than ordinary. How

ever, this accident no way discouraged our defigns. We began with fending invitations to "thofe of a ftature not exceeding five foot, to repair to our affembly; but the greater part re"turned excufes, or pretended they were not qua "lified.

"One faid, he was indeed but five foot at pre"fent, but reprefented that he fhould foon ex"ceed that proportion, his perriwig-maker and "fhoe-maker having lately promised him three "inches more betwixt them.

"Another alledged, he was fo unfortunate as to have one leg fhorter than the other, and whoever had determined his ftature to five foot, had "taken him at a difadvantage; for when he was "mounted on the other leg, he was at least five "foot two inches and a half.

"There were fome who questioned the exactness "of our measures, and others inftead of complying, "returned us informations of people yet thorter #than themfelves, In a word, almost every one

"recommended fome neighbour or acquaintance, "whom he was willing we fhould look upon to "be lefs than he. We were not a little athamed "that those who are paft the years of growth, "and whose beards pronounce them men, should

be guilty of as many unfair tricks in this point, "as the most afpiring children when they are "measured.

"We therefore proceeded to fit up the Club"Room, and provide conveniencies for our ac"commodation. In the first place we caufed a "total removal of all the chairs, ftools, and tables, " which had served the grofs of mankind for many years.

"The disadvantages we had undergone while "we made use of these, were unspeakable. The "Prefident's whole body was funk in the elbow"chair, and when his arms were spread over it,

he appeared (to the great leffening of his dignity) like a child in a go-cart: It was alfo fo wide in the feat, as to give a wag occafion of faying, that, notwithstanding the President fate in it, there was a Sede Vacante.

"The table was fo high, that one who came

by chance to the door, feeing our chins just above "the pewter difhes, took us for a circle of men "that fate ready to be fhaved, and fent in half a "dozen Barbers.

"Another time, one of the Club fpoke in a lu"dicrous manner of the Prefident, imagining he