Ev’n heaven itself will discommend. VII. THE VIPER AND THE FILE. He that a greater biter bites, His folly on himself requites, As we shall manifest forthwith.-- There was a hovel of a smith, Where a poor Viper chanced to steal, And being greedy of a meal, When she had seized upon a file, Was answer’d in this rugged style: “Why do you think, O stupid snake! On me your usual meal to make, Who’ve sharper teeth than thine by far, And can corrode an iron bar?” VIII. THE FOX AND THE GOAT. A crafty knave will make escape, When once he gets into a scrape, Still meditating self-defence, At any other man’s expense. A Fox by some disaster fell Into a deep and fenced well: A thirsty Goat came down in haste, And ask’d about the water’s taste, If it was plentiful and sweet? At which the Fox, in rank deceit, “So great the solace of the run, I thought I never should have done. Be quick, my friend, your sorrows drown.” This said, the silly Goat comes down. The subtle Fox herself avails, And by his horns the mound she scales, And leaves the Goat in all the mire, To gratify his heart’s desire. IX. THE TWO BAGS. Great Jove, in his paternal care, Has giv’n a man two Bags to bear; That which his own default contains Behind his back unseen remains; But that which others’ vice attests Swags full in view before our breasts. Hence we’re inevitably blind, Relating to the Bag behind; But when our neighbours misdemean, Our censures are exceeding keen. X. THE SACRILEGIOUS THIEF. A villain to Jove’s altar came To light his candle in the flame, And robb’d the god in dead of night, By his own consecrated light: Then thus an awful voice was sent, As with the sacrilege he went: “Though all this gold and silver plate As gifts of evil men I hate; And their removal from the fane Can cause the Deity no pain; Yet, caitiff, at th’ appointed time, Thy life shall answer for thy crime. But, for the future, lest this blaze, At which the pious pray and praise, Should guide the wicked, I decree That no such intercourse there be.” Hence to this day all men decline To light their candle at the shrine; Nor from a candle e’er presume The holy light to re-illume. How many things are here contain’d, By him alone can be explain’d Who could this useful tale invent. In the first place, herein is meant, That they are often most your foes Who from your fost’ring hand arose. Next, that the harden’d villain’s fate Is not from wrath precipitate, But rather at a destined hour. Lastly, we’re charg’d with all our pow’r, To keep ourselves, by care intense, From all connexions with offence. XI. HERCULES AND PLUTUS.