Projectors of all kinds, who endeavour by artful rumours, large
promises, and vast preparations, to raise the expectations of mankind,
and then by their mean performances disappoint them, have, time out of
mind, been lashed with the recital of this Fable. It should teach us
to suspect those who promise very largely, and to examine cautiously
what grounds they proceed upon, and whether their pretensions are not
intended to render us their tools, or the dupes of their artifices.
It likewise teaches us not to rely implicitly upon those constant
declarations for liberty and the public good, which artful politicians
use as stepping stones to power; but who having raised the people’s
expectations to the highest pitch, and obtained their desire by the
public enthusiasm, then turn their whole art and cunning to embezzling
the public treasure for their own private wicked ends, or to ruin
and enslave their country; or at best but imitate the bad conduct of
those whom they turned out by their clamour, while the sanguine hopes
of all those that wished well to virtue, and flattered themselves
with a reformation of every thing that opposed the well-being of the
community, vanish away in smoke, and are lost in a gloomy uncomfortable
prospect. The Fable likewise intimates, that the uncertain issue of
all human undertakings should induce us not to make pompous boasts of
ourselves, but to guard against promising any thing exceedingly great,
for fear of coming off with a production ridiculously little. If we set
out modestly, and perform more than we engaged to do, we shall find
our fame grow upon us, and every unexpected addition we make to our
plan will raise us more and more in the good opinion of the world; but
if, on the contrary, we make ample professions of the greatness of our
designs, and the excellence of our own abilities, it will too often
happen, that instead of swelling our reputation, we shall only blow the
trumpet to our shame.
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