’Tis the way of the World to give Other People Councel for their Own
Ends. Paradoxing is of Great Use and Service in many Encounters and
Accidents that we meet withal in the World; but the Faculty must be so
Tenderly Manag’d, as not to Grate upon the Truth, and Reason of Things:
And it is of Great Effect, if it can but give some Colour of Probability
to the Matter in Question. Nay there’s a Pleasure in the very Tryal of
Wits; but when This Talent is Employ’d upon the Topique of Convenience,
and Profit; It is a wonderful Force that it has upon the Affections of
the Common People. The _Fox_ carry’d it as far as ’twould go; but he had
too Hard a Task on’t, to Over-rule a Multitude to their Own Pain and Loss.
We may Improve a Doctrine from This, that Every Man has his Weak Side,
either by Mischance, or by Nature; and that he makes it his Bus’ness
to Cover it too, the Best he can. In case of the Worst, it is some
sort of Ease to have Company in our Misfortunes. It puts a Body out of
Countenance to be in a Fashion by Himself, and therefore the _Fox_ did
well to Try if he could bring his Fellow Foxes to put themselves into His
Mode. When we have Carry’d a Point as far as it will go, and can make no
more on’t, ’tis a Stroke of Art and Philosophy, to look as if we did not
so much as Wish for a Thing that is not to be Had. Every Man’s Present
Condition has somewhat to be Said for’t: If it be Uneasy, the Skill will
be, either how to Mend it, or how to Bear it; But then there must be no
Clashing with the Methods, the Decrees, and the Laws of Nature. A Man
that has Forfeited his Honour and his Conscience, seems to be much in the
Condition of the _Fox_ here that had lost his _Tail_, and takes as much
pains too, to persuade All his Companions to follow his Fashion. He lays
down his Arguments, and gives his _REASONS_, Nay, and he endeavours to
Prove it by _Scripture_ too, that _Men_, in such a Case, ought to go to
_Old Nick_ for _Company_. We are to Consider here, that the _Devils_ have
their _Traps_ as well as the _Woodmen_, and that it is the Case of many
a _Lawyer_ and _Divine_, when they come once to be Hamper’d, to rub off
as well as they can, though they Leave their _Consciences behind_ them,
as the _Fox_ did his _Tail_, and then _Preach up the Blessed Doctrine and
Convenience of_ No Consciences, _as well as_ No Tails.