Fable LXVIII.
There’s no To-morrow.
A Man, who had lived a very profligate life, at length being awakened by the lively representations of a sober friend on the apprehensions of a feverish indisposition, promised that he would heartily set about his reformation, and that To-morrow he would seriously begin it. But the symptoms going off, and that To-morrow coming, he still put it off till the next, and so he went on from one To-morrow to another; but still he continued his reprobate life. This his friend observing, said to him, I am very much concerned to find how little effect my disinterested advice has upon you: But, my friend, let me tell you, that since your To-morrow never comes, nor do you seem to intend it shall, I will believe you no more, except you set about your repentance and amendment this very moment: for, to say nothing of your repeated broken promises, you must consider, that the time that is past is no more; that To-morrow is not OURS; and the present NOW is all we have to boast of.
Morals.
That compunction of heart cannot be sincere, which takes not immediate effect, and can be put off till To-morrow. The friend’s closing observation in the Fable is so good a moral, that we need add nothing to it.
Eager to mend, and brookless of delay,
Sincere repentance waits no future day;
The present moment only is allow’d;
Uncertain hopes and fears to-morrow shroud.