_Demades_ the _Orator_.
This _Demades_ was a very Famous _Orator_, and taking Notice as he was
in the Middle of a Discourse to the People upon a Subject of Great
Importance, that their Thoughts were Wand’ring upon Something else, he
slipt from his Text into This Digression. _Ceres_ (says he) a _Swallow_
and an _Eele_, were Travelling together upon the Way: They came to a
River, it seems, and the _Swallow_ flew over it; The _Eele_ made a shift
to Swim through it;——And there he stopt. Well (says some of the Company)
and what became of _Ceres_? Why (says _Demades_) The Goddess was mightily
Offended, to find so many People in the World that are Deaf to any thing
they may be the Better for, and yet have their Ears Open to Fooleries.
The MORAL.
_People are sooner Reclaim’d by the Side-Wind of a Surprize, then by
Downright Admonition and Councel; for they’ll lend an Ear to a Parable
when Nothing else will Down with them._