This Fable, under the Emblem of the _Frogs_, sets forth the Murmuring and
the Unsteadiness of the Common People; that in a State of Liberty will
have a _King_: They do not like him when they have him, and so Change
again, and grow Sicker of the Next, then they were of the Former. Now
the Bus’ness is only this: They are never satisfy’d with their present
Condition; but their Governours are still either too Dull, or too Rigid.
’Tis a Madness for Him that’s Free, to put himself into a state of
Bondage, and rather then bear a Less Misfortune to Hazzard a Greater.
This Allusion of the _Frogs_ runs upon All Four (as they say) in
the Resemblance of the Multitude, both for the Humour, the Murmur,
the Importunity, and the subject matter of the Petition. Redress of
Grievances is the Question, and the Devil of it is, that the Petitioners
are never to be pleas’d. In one Fit they cannot be _Without Government_:
In Another they cannot bear the _Yoke_ on’t. They find Absolute Freedom
to be a Direct State of War; for where there’s no Means of either
preventing Strife, or Ending it, the Weaker are still a Prey to the
Stronger. _One King_ is too _Soft_, and _Easie_ for them; _Another_ too
_Fiery_! And then a _Third_ Change would do better they think. Now ’tis
Impossible to satisfie people that would have they know not what. They
Beg and Wrangle, and Appeal, and their Answer is at last, that if they
shift again, they shall be still Worse; By which, the Frogs are given
to Understand the very truth of the Matter, as we find it in the World,
both in the Nature, and Reason of the Thing, and in Policy and Religion;
which is, That _Kings are from God_, and that it is a Sin, a Folly, and a
Madness, to struggle with his Appointments.