A _City Mouse_ and a _Country Mouse_.
There goes an Old Story of a _Country Mouse_ that Invited a _City-Sister_
of hers to a Country Collation, where she spar’d for Nothing that the
Place afforded; as Mouldy Crusts, Cheese-Parings, Musty Oatmeal, Rusty
Bacon, and the like. Now the _City-Dame_ was so well bred, as Seemingly
to take All in Good Part: But yet at last, Sister (says she, after the
Civilest Fashion) why will you be Miserable when you may be Happy? Why
will you lie Pining, and Pinching your self in such a Lonesome Starving
Course of Life as This is; when ’tis but going to Town along with me; to
Enjoy all the Pleasures, and Plenty that your Heart can Wish? This was
a Temptation the _Country Mouse_ was not able to Resist; so that away
they Trudg’d together, and about Midnight got to their Journeys End. The
_City Mouse_ shew’d her Friend the Larder, the Pantry, the Kitchin, and
Other Offices where she laid her Stores; and after This, carry’d her
into the Parlour, where they found, yet upon the Table, the Reliques of
a Mighty Entertainment of That very Night. The _City-Mouse_ Carv’d her
Companion of what she lik’d Best, and so to’t they fell upon a Velvet
Couch together: The Poor _Bumkin_ that had never seen, nor heard of such
Doings before, Bless’d her self at the Change of her Condition, when (as
ill luck would have it) all on a Sudden, the Doors flew open, and in
comes a Crew of Roaring Bullies, with their Wenches, their Dogs and their
Bottles, and put the Poor _Mice_ to their Wits End, how to save their
Skins. The Stranger Especially, that had never been at This Sport before;
but she made a Shift however for the present, to slink into a Corner,
where she lay Trembling and Panting ’till the Company went their Way. So
soon as ever the House was Quiet again, Well: My _Court Sister_, says
she, If This be the Way of Your _Town-Gamboles_, I’ll e’en back to my
Cottage, and my Mouldy Cheese again; for I had much rather lie Knabbing
of Crusts, without either Fear or Danger, in my Own Little Hole, then be
Mistress of the Whole World with Perpetual Cares and Alarums.
The MORAL.
_The Difference betwixt a Court and a Country Life. The Delights,
Innocence, and Security of the One, Compar’d with the Anxiety, the
Lewdness, and the Hazards of the Other._