He who suffers his mind to be ruffled by every little inconvenience, subjects himself to perpetual uneasiness and disquiet. There is no accident, however trivial, but is capable of disconcerting him, and he becomes absurdly miserable on the most foolish occasion. His good humour is soured in an instant, and he is rendered uncomfortable to himself, and odious or ridiculous to all about him. He prays with earnestness to the Supreme Being to aid him in all his paltry selfish schemes, or to gratify vanities, for which, as a rational being, he ought to blush and be ashamed. The imaginary distresses, which his unfortunate disposition heightens into severe calamities, are matter of diversion to those who are disposed to sneer at him; and when his pettish humour makes him rave like a madman, and curse his fate, at the dropping of a hat, or the blunder of a servant, even his friends must view his behaviour with a mixed emotion of pity and contempt. [Illustration] [Illustration] [Page 191] THE WOLF AND THE LAMB. One hot sultry day, a Wolf and a Lamb happened to come just at the same time, to quench their thirst in the stream of a brook that fell tumbling down the side of a rocky mountain. The Wolf stood upon the higher ground, and the Lamb at some distance below him. However, the Wolf, having a mind to pick a quarrel with the Lamb, asked him what he meant by disturbing the water, and making it so muddy that he could not drink? and, at the same time, demanded satisfaction. The Lamb, frightened at this threatening charge, told him, in a tone as mild as possible, that with humble submission, he could not conceive how that could be, since the water which he drank ran down from the Wolf to him, and therefore could not be disturbed so far up the stream. Be that as it may, replies the Wolf, you are a rascal, and I have been told that you used ill language concerning me behind my back, about half a year ago. Upon my word, says the Lamb, the time you mention was before I was born. The Wolf, finding it to no purpose to argue any longer against truth, fell into a great passion, snarling and foaming at the mouth as if he had been mad; and drawing nearer to the Lamb, Sirrah, says he, if it were not you, it was your father, and that is the same. So he seized the poor innocent helpless thing, tore it to pieces, and made a meal of it. APPLICATION. Where’er oppression rules, fell Wolves devour; And the worst crimes are want of strength and pow’r.