Select Fables of Esop and Other Fabulists in Three Books

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1764 Excerpt: ...a quarter of a mile further, when they met another company. You idle young rogue, said one of the party, why don't you get down, and let your poor father ride? Upon this, the Old Man made his Son dismount, and got up himself. While they were marching in. this manner, a third company began to insult % the father. You hard-hearted, unnatural wretch, say they, how can you surfer that poor lad to. wade through the dirt, while you like an alderman ride at your ease? The good-natured Miller stood corrected, and immediately took his Son up behind him. And now, the next man they met exclaimed, with more vehemence, than all the rest. Was there ever such a couple of lazy boobies? to overload in so unconscionable a manner, a poor dumb creature, who is far less able to carry them than they are to carry him! The complying Old Man would have been half inclined to make the trial, had not experience by this time sufficiently convinced him, that there cannot be a more fruitless attempt, than to endeavour to please all mankind. FABLE II. The Sorceress. NIGHT and silence had now given repose to the whole world; when an old illnatured Sorceress, in order to exercise her infernal arts, entered into a gloomy wood, that trembled at her approach. The scene of her horrid incantations was within the circumference of a large ci-rcle; in the center of which an altar was raised, where the hallowed vervain blazed in trianglar flames, while the mischievous Hag pronounced the dreadful words, which bound all hell in obedience to her charms. She blows a raging pestilence from her lips into the neighbouring folds; the innocent cattle die, to afford a sit sacrifice to the infernal deities. The moon-, by powerful spells drawn down from her orb, enters the wood: legions of spirits from Pluto's ...