THE TWO FROGS.
One hot sultry summer, the lakes and ponds being almost every where dried up, a couple of Frogs agreed to travel together in search of water. At last they came to a deep well, and sitting upon the brink of it, began to consult whether they should leap in or not. One of them was for it, urging that there was plenty of clear spring water, and no danger of being disturbed. Well, says the other, all this may be true, and yet I cannot come into your opinion for my life; for if the water should happen to dry there too, how should we get out again?
APPLICATION.
In human affairs, many stations we meet,
Where ’tis easy to enter, but hard to retreat.
We ought never to change our situation in life, nor undertake any action of importance, without first duly and deliberately weighing the consequences that may follow, in all their different bearings. It is commonly owing to the neglect of such wholesome precautions, that numbers of young people are led into unfortunate matches, suddenly made up; and others are from the same causes led into a round of profuse living, or into gaming and other extravagant conduct, which is sure to terminate in ruin. To look before we leap, is a maxim worthy of being remembered by all ranks and conditions of men, from the lowest to the highest: even kings may reap benefit by it; for when they inconsiderately execute those schemes which their wicked counsellors advise, they have often abundant reason to repent. By this blind stupidity, wars are commenced, from which a state cannot be extricated either with honour or safety; and unwise projects are encouraged by the rash accession of those who never considered the consequences, or how they were to get out, till they had plunged themselves irrecoverably into them.
