1.39. THE TWO LIZARDS. The superior safety of an obscure and humble station, is a balance for the honours of high and envied life.
As two Lizards were basking under a south wall, "How contemptible," said one of them, "is our condition! We exist, 'tis true, but that is all: for we hold no sort of rank in the creation, and are utterly unnoticed by the world. Cursed obscurity! Why was I not rather born a stag, to range at large, the pride and glory of some royal forest?"
It happened, that in the midst of these unjust murmurs, a pack of hounds was heard in full cry after the very creature he was envying, who, being quite spent with the chase, was torn in pieces by the dogs in sight of our two Lizards.
"And is this the lordly stag, whose place in the creation you wish to hold?" said the wiser Lizard to his complaining friend: "Let his sad fate teach you to bless Providence for placing you in that humble situation, which secures you from the dangers of a more elevated rank." [more info]
As two Lizards were basking under a south wall, "How contemptible," said one of them, "is our condition! We exist, 'tis true, but that is all: for we hold no sort of rank in the creation, and are utterly unnoticed by the world. Cursed obscurity! Why was I not rather born a stag, to range at large, the pride and glory of some royal forest?"
It happened, that in the midst of these unjust murmurs, a pack of hounds was heard in full cry after the very creature he was envying, who, being quite spent with the chase, was torn in pieces by the dogs in sight of our two Lizards.
"And is this the lordly stag, whose place in the creation you wish to hold?" said the wiser Lizard to his complaining friend: "Let his sad fate teach you to bless Providence for placing you in that humble situation, which secures you from the dangers of a more elevated rank." [more info]
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