neither gave Credit nor Ear to her Words. This Fable feems to intimate the unprofitable Liberty of untimely Admonitions and Counsels: For they that are so over-weened with the sharpness and dexterity of their own Wit and Capacity, as that they disdain to submit themselves to the Documents of Apollo, the God of Harmony, whereby to learn, and obferve the Method and Measure of Affairs, the Grace and Gravity of Discourse, the differences between the more judicious and more vulgar Ears, and the due times when to speak, and when to be filent; be they never so fenfible and pregnant, and their Judgements never fo profound, and profitable; yet in all their Endeavours either of persuasion, or perforce, they avail nothing, neither are they of any moment to advantage or manage Matters; but do rather haften on the Ruin of all those that they adhere, or devote themselves unto. And then at last, when Calamity doth make Men feel the event of Neglect, then shall they too late be reverenced as deep, foreseeing, and faithful Prophets. Whereof a notable Inftance is eminently set forth in Marcus Cato Uticenfis, who, as from a Watch-tower, difcovered afar off, and, as an Oracle, long foretold the approaching Ruin of his Country, and the plotted Tyranny hovering over the State, both in the first Confpiracy, and as it was prosecuted in the Civil Contention between Cæfar and Pompey, and did no good the while, but rather harmed the Commonwealth, and haftened on his Country's Bane; which M. Cicero wifely observed, and writing to a familiar Friend, doth in

these Terms excellently defcribe, Cato optime fentit, fed nocet interdum Reipublica: Loquitur enim tanquam in Republica Platonis, non tanquam in fæce Romuli. Cato (faith he) judgeth profoundly, but in the mean time damnifies the State; for he speaks in the Commonwealth of Plato, and not as in the Dregs of Romulus.

II. Typhon, or a Rebel.

UNO being vexed (fay the Poets) that Jupiter had begotten Pallas by himfelf without her, earneftly preffed all the other Gods and Goddeffes that she might also bring forth of herself alone without him; and having by violence, and importunity obtained a Grant thereof, fhe fmote the Earth, and forthwith sprang up Typhon, a huge, and horrid Monster: This ftrange Birth fhe commits to a Serpent, (as a Fofter-Father,) to nourish it; who no fooner came to ripeness of Years, but he provokes Jupiter to Battle: In the Conflict the Giant getting the upper hand, takes Jupiter upon his Shoulders, carries him into a remote, and obfcure Country, and (cutting out the Sinews of his Hands and Feet) brought them away, and fo left him miferably mangled and maimed. But Mercury recovering thefe Nerves from Typhon by stealth, restored them again to Jupiter. Jupiter being again by this means corroborated, affaults the Monster afresh,

and at the first strikes him with a Thunderbolt, from whofe Blood Serpents were engendered. This Monster at length fainting, and flying, Jupiter cafts on him the Mount Etna, and with the Weight thereof crushed him.

This Fable feems to point at the variable Fortune of Princes, and the rebellious infurrection of Traitors in a State: For Princes may well be faid to be married to their Dominions, as Jupiter was to Juno; but it happens now and then, that being debofhed by the long cuftom of Empiring, and bending towards Tyranny, they endeavour to draw all to themselves, and (contemning the Counsel of their Nobles and Senators) hatch Laws in their own Brain; that is, difpofe of Things by their own Fancy, and abfolute Power. The People (repining at this) ftudy how to create, and fet up a Chief of their own Choice. This Project by the secret instigation of the Peers, and Nobles, doth for the most part take his beginning; by whose Connivance the Commons being set on Edge, there follows a kind of Murmuring, or Discontent in the State, fhadowed by the Infancy of Typhon, which being nurfed by the natural Pravity, and clownish Malignity of the vulgar fort, (unto Princes, as infeftuous as Serpents,) is again repaired by a renewed Strength, and at last breaks out into open Rebellion, which (because it brings infinite Mifchiefs upon Prince and People) is represented by the monstrous Deformity of Typhon: His hundred Heads fignify their divided Powers; his fiery Mouths, their inflamed Intents; his ferpentine

Circles, their peftilent Malice in befieging; his Iron Hands their merciless Slaughters; his Eagle's Talons, their greedy Rapines; his plumed Body, their continual Rumours, and Scouts, and Fears, and fuch like; and fometimes thefe Rebellions grow fo Potent, that Princes are enforced (transported as it were, by the Rebels, and forfaking the chief Seats and Cities of the Kingdom) to contract their Power, and (being deprived of the Sinews of Money and Majefty,) betake themselves to some remote and obfcure Corner within their Dominions : But in process of Time, (if they bear their Misfortunes with Moderation,) they may recover their Strength, by the virtue and industry of Mercury; that is, they may (by becoming Affable, and by reconciling the Minds and Wills of their Subjects with grave Edicts, and gracious Speech,) excite an Alacrity to grant Aids, and Subfidies, whereby to strengthen their Authority anew. Nevertheless, having learned to be wife and wary, they will refrain to try the chance of Fortune by War, and yet study how to fupprefs the Reputation of the Rebels by fome famous Action, which if it fall out answerable to their Expectation, the Rebels finding themselves weakened, and fearing the Succefs of their broken Projects; betake themselves to some slight, and vain Bravadoes, like the hiffing of Serpents, and at length in despair betake themselves to Flight; and then when they begin to break, it is safe and timely for Kings to purfue, and opprefs them with the Forces and Weight of the Kingdom, as it were with the Mountain Etna.

III. The Cyclops, or the Minifters of Terror.

HEY fay that the Cyclops, for their fiercenefs, and Cruelty, were by Jupiter caft into Hell, and there doomed to perpetual Imprisonment; but Tellus perfuaded Jupiter that it would do well, if being fet at liberty, they were put to forge Thunderbolts, which being done accordingly, they became fo Painful and Induftrious, as that Day and Night they continued Hammering out in laborious Diligence, Thunderbolts, and other Inftruments of Terror. In procefs of time Jupiter having conceived a Displeasure against Efculapius, the Son of Apollo, for reftoring a dead Man to life by Phyfick; and concealing his Diflike, (because there was no juft Cause of Anger, the Deed being pious and famous,) fecretly incenfed the Cyclops against him, who without delay flew him with a Thunderbolt. In revenge of which Act, Apollo, (Jupi ter not prohibiting it) Shot them to Death with his Arrows.

This Fable may be applied to the Projects of Kings, who having cruel, bloody, and exacting Officers, do first punish and displace them; afterwards by the Counsel of Tellus, that is, of some bafe, and ignoble Perfon, and by the prevailing refpect of Profit, they admit them into their Places