A _Countryman_ and a _Snake_.
A _Countryman_ happen’d in a Hard Winter to spy a _Snake_ under a Hedge,
that was half Frozen to Death. The Man was Good Natur’d and Took it up,
and kept it in his Bosom, till Warmth brought it to Life again; and so
soon as ever it was in Condition to do Mischief, it bit the very Man
that sav’d the Life on’t. Ah thou Ungrateful Wretch! Says he, Is that
Venemous Ill Nature of thine to be Satisfi’d with nothing less then the
Ruine of thy Preserver?
The MORAL.
_There are Some Men like Some Snakes; ’Tis Natural to them to be
doing Mischief; and the Greater the Benefit on the One side, the More
implacable is the Malice on the other._