ſome Diſtinction of Good and Evil, by Certain Equitable Rules and Methods of Reward and Puniſhment. Jupiter, that knew the Vanity of their Hearts, threw them down a Log for their Governour; which, upon the firſt Daſh, frighted the whole Mobile of them into the Mudd for the very fear on't. This Panick Terror kept them in Awe for a while, 'till in good time, one Frog, Bolder than the Reſt, put up his Head, and look'd about him, to ſee how ſquares went with their New King. Upon This, he calls his Fellow-Subjects together; Opens the truth of the Caſe; and Nothing would ſerve them then, but Riding a-top of him, Inſomuch that the Dread they were in before, is now turn'd into Inſolence, and Tumult. This King they ſaid was too Tame for them, and Jupiter muſt needs be Entreated to ſend 'ern Another: He did lo, but Authors are Divided upon it, whether 'twas a Stork, or a Serpent; though whether of the Two ſoever it was, he left them neither Liberty, nor Property, but made a Prey of his Subjects. Such was their Condition in fine, that they ſent Mercury to Jupiter yet once again for Another King, whoſe Anſwer was This: They that will not be Contented when they are Well, muſt be Patient when Things are Amiſs with them; and People had better Reſt where they are, than go farther, and fare Worſe.
The Moral.
REFLEXION.
This Fable, under the Emblem of the Frogs, ſets forth the Murmuring, and the Unſteadineſs of the Common People; that in a State of Liberty will have a King: They do not like him when they have him, and ſo Change again, and grow Sicker of the Next, than they Were of the Former. Now the Bus'neſs is only this: They are never ſatisfy'd with their preſent Condition; but their Governors are ſtill either too Dull, or too Rigid. 'Tis a Madneſs for him that's Free, to put himſelf into a Hate of Bondage, and rather than bear a Leſs Misfortune to Hazzard a Greater.
This Alluſion of the Frogs runs upon All Four (as they ſay) in the Reſemblance of the Multitude, both for the Humour, the Murmur, the Importunity, and the ſubject-Matter of the Petition. Redreſs of Grievances is the Queſtion, and the Devil of it is, that the Petitioners are never to be pleas'd. In one Fit they cannot be Without Government: In Another they cannot bear the Toak on't. They find Abſolute Freedom to be a Direct State of War; for where there's no Means of either preventing Strife, or Ending it, the Weaker are ſtill a Prey to the Stronger. One King is too Soft, and Eaſie for them; Another too Fierce! And then a Third Change
