’Tis Ill Trusting a Reconcil’d Enemy; but ’tis Worse yet, to Proceed
at One Step, from Clemency and Tenderness, to Confidence and Trust:
Especially where there are so many Memorials in Sight, for Hatred and
Revenge to work upon. ’Tis Generous however to Forgive an Enemy; though
Extremely Hazardous to Grace him in the doing of an Ill Thing, with
the Countenance of a Deference to his Merit. Nay, a Bare Easiness of
Pardoning has but too often the Force of a Temptation to Offend again.
’Tis a Nice Business to Indulge on the Left hand, without Punishing on
the Right, for there must be No Sacrificing of a Faithful Friend to
the Generosity of Obliging a Mortal Enemy. But the Case is then most
Deplorate when Reward goes over to the Wrong side, and when Interest
shall be made the Test and the Measure of Virtue. Upon the whole Matter,
the _Countryman_ was too Easie, in Proposing a Reconciliation; (the
Circumstances duly Consider’d) and the _Snake_ was much in the Right
on the Other hand, in not entertaining it from a man that had so many
Remembrances at Hand still, to Provoke him to a Revenge. Wherefore it is
highly Necessary, for the one to know how far, and to Whom to Trust, and
for the other to Understand what he is to Trust to. ’Tis a great Error
to take Facility, for Good Nature: Tenderness, without Discretion is no
better then a more Pardonable Folly.