Æsop_’s Letters of Morality to his Son_ Ennus.
Upon Æsop_’s_ coming again into Favour, he had the King of _Ægypt_’s
Letter given him to Consider of, and Advised _Labynetus_ to send him
for Answer, That Early the next Spring he should have the Satisfaction
he Desired. Things being in this State, Æsop took _Ennus_ Home to him
again, and so order’d the Matter, that he wanted neither Counsels nor
Instructions, nor any other Helps or Lights that might Dispose him to the
Leading of a Virtuous Life, as will Appear by the Following Precepts.
_My Son_ (says he) _Worship God with Care and Reverence, and with a
Sincerity of Heart void of All Hypocrisie or Ostentation: Not as if
that Divine Name and Power were only an Invention, to Fright Women and
Children, but know That God is Omnipresent, True and Almighty_.
_Have a Care even of your Most Private Actions and Thoughts, for God sees
Thorough you, and your Conscience will bear Witness against you._
_It is according to Prudence, as well as Nature, to pay that Honour to
your Parents that you Expect your Children should pay to you._
_Do All the Good you can to All Men, but in the First Place to your
Nearest Relations, and do no Hurt however, where you can do no Good._
_Keep a Guard upon your_ Words _as well as upon your_ Actions, _that
there be no Impurity in Either_.
_Follow the Dictates of your Reason, and you are Safe; and have a Care of
Impotent Affections._
_Apply your self to Learn More, so long as there’s any Thing Left that
you do not know, and Value Good Counsel before Money._
_Our Minds must be Cultivated as well as our Plants; The Improvement of
our Reason makes us like Angels, whereas the Neglect of it turns us into
Beasts._
_There’s no Permanent and Inviolable Good, but Wisdom and Virtue, though
the_ Study _of it Signifies Little without the_ Practice.
_Do not think it impossible to be a Wise Man, without looking Sour upon
it. Wisdom makes Men Severe, but not Inhumane._
_It is Virtue not to be Vicious._
_Keep Faith with All Men. Have a Care of a Lye, as you would of
Sacrilege. Great Bablers have No Regard either to Honesty or Truth._
_Take Delight in, and frequent the_ Company _of Good Men, for it will
give you a Tincture of their_ Manners _too_.
_Take heed of that Vulgar Error, of thinking that there is any Good in
Evil. It is a Mistake when Men talk of profitable Knavery, or of Starving
Honesty; for Virtue and justice carry All that is Good and Profitable
along with them._
_Let every Man mind his own Business, for Curiosity is Restless._
_Speak Ill of No body, and you are no more to Hear Calumnies then to
Report them: Beside that, they that Practice the One, Commonly Love the
Other._
_Propose Honest Things, Follow Wholesome Counsels, and Leave the Event to
God._
_Let no Man Despair in Adversity, nor Presume in Prosperity, for All
Things are Changeable._
_Rise Early to your Business, Learn Good Things, and Oblige Good Men;
These are three Things you shall never Repent of._
_Have a Care of Luxury and Gluttony; but of Drunkenness Especially; for
Wine as well as Age makes a Man a Child._
_Watch for the Opportunities of doing things, for there’s Nothing Well
done but what’s done in Season._
_Love and Honour Kings Princes and Magistrates, for they are the Bands of
Society, in Punishing of the Guilty, and Protecting the Innocent._
These, or such as these, were the Lessons that Æsop read daily to his
Son; but so far was he from mending upon Them, that he grew Every Day
worse and worse, shewing that it is not in the power of Art or Discipline
to Rectify a Perverse Nature, or (as _Euripides_ says) to _make a Man
Wise that has no Soul_. But however, according to _Neveletus_, he came
soon after to be Touched in Conscience for his Barbarous Ingratitude, and
Dyed in a Raging Remorse for what he had done.
The Spring was now at Hand, and Æsop was preparing for the Task he had
Undertaken About the Building of a Tower in the Air, and Resolving All
Manner of Questions: But I shall say no more of That Romantick part of
the History, then that he went into _Ægypt_, and Acquitted himself of his
Commission to _Amasis_ with Great Reputation. From thence back again to
_Labynetus_, Laden with Honours and Rewards; from whom he got leave to
Return into _Greece_; but upon Condition of Returning to _Babylon_ by the
First Opportunity.