Let Every Man Examin his Own Strength, and the Force of the Enemy he
is to Cope withal before he comes to Close, and Grapple with him: For
he’s sure to go by the Worst that Contends with an Adversary that is
too Mighty for him. ’Tis Good Advice not to Contend with Those that are
too Strong for us, but still with a saving to Honesty and Justice, for
the Integrity of the Mind must be supported against All Violence and
Hazzards whatsoever. This of the _Spider_ is a very Foolish Undertaking,
and as Unjust a Pretence; for the Equity of the Case is Clearly Mistaken.
The Intent of the Fable is to set us Right in the Understanding, and
Interpreting of Injuries. ’Tis an unhappy Error to take things for
Injuries that are Not so: And then supposing an Injury done, ’tis a Nice
Point to Proportion the Reparation to the Degree of the Indignity; and
to take a True Measure of our Own Force. It was a Ridiculous Project to
think of Catching a _Swallow_ in a _Cobweb_; and the _Spider_ was as much
Out too in thinking to Restrain the Common Air to its own Particular Use.
The _Swallow_ was a _Fly-Catcher_ as well as the _Spider_, and no more
an Inter-loper upon the _Spider_’s Right, then the _Spider_ was upon
the _Swallow_’s; for the Flies were in Common to Both. Those People, in
short, deserve to be Doubly Laugh’d at, that are Peevish, and Angry;
First, for Nothing, and secondly, to no manner of Purpose.
This Envious Injustice is Frequent in the World, for why should People
think to Engrosse and Appropriate the Common Benefits of Fire, Air,
and Water to Themselves; Not but that there are Swarms of This sort of
_State-Spiders_ in the World, that Reckon Every _Fly_ that’s taken out of
the Common-Stock, as a _Penny_ out of their _Own Pockets_. The Bounties
of God and of Princes ought to be Free, both alike, without making Every
Morsel of Bread that an Honest Man puts in his Mouth to be the Robbing of
a Minion, Wherefore let Every Man Compute, First, What he ought to do.
Secondly, What he is Able to do. Provided Thirdly, That he Govern himself
by the Rules of Vertue and Discretion. This Consideration beforehand,
would have sav’d the Foolish _Spider_ the Trouble of Setting Nets for
Swallows.