In former days, it happened that the Members of the human body,
taking some offence at the conduct of the Belly, resolved no longer
to grant it the usual supplies. The Tongue first, in a seditious
speech, aggravated their grievances; and after highly extolling the
activity and diligence of the Hands and Feet, set forth how hard
and unreasonable it was, that the fruits of their labour should be
squandered away upon the insatiable cravings of a fat and indolent
paunch. In short, it was resolved for the future to strike off his
allowance, and let him shift for himself as well as he could. The Hands
protested they would not lift a Finger to keep him from starving; and
the Teeth refused to chew a single morsel more for his use. In this
distress, the Belly remonstrated with them in vain; for during the
clamour of passion the voice of reason is always disregarded. This
unnatural resolution was kept as long as any thing of that kind can be
kept, which was, until each of the rebel members pined away to the skin
and bone, and could hold out no longer. Then they found there was no
doing without the Belly, and, that idle and insatiable as it seemed, it
contributed as much to the welfare of all the other parts, as they in
their several stations did towards its maintenance.