Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	good_a	great_a	read_v	3,182	5	5.8148	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26532	Aesop at Tunbridge, or, A few select fables in verse by no person of quality.	No person of quality.; Ward, Edward, 1667-1731.	1698 (1698)	Wing A739; ESTC R15896	6,383	39

AESOP AT TUNBRIDGE OR A few select FABLES IN VERSE BY No Person of Quality LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by E. Whitlock near Stationers-hall 1698. TO THE READER RIding of late to take a little Air and crossing by some chance the Tunbridg Road it was my fortune to find a parcel of Papers which were doubtless dropt by some unwary Passenger who had made more Haste than good Speed and taking them up I found they were the following Fables which I imagine some Young Gentleman of Wit and Leisure had diverted himself in composing whilst he was obliged to drink the Waters The Entertainment they gave me and my Friends made me think of making them Publick and considering the Nature of them and that they were very fairly written it is not at all unlikely that the Author had designed them for the Press himself There are but two little Reasons to the contrary which may be also soon answered First That they are too small to make a Book the Second That some of the Fables are too bold and might expose the Author to some Danger or Displeasure As to the first Objection Whoever would be sure of Pleasing must not be tedious it happens but to a few great Books to be read through and many good Authors have defeated their own purpose of instructing the World by frightning the Reader with three or four hundred Pages but besides the Nature of such a Work as this requires that the Reader be never cloy'd but always kept in good Humour and good Appetite which a long Work could hardly do and ten or a dozen Morals are enow to amuse the Mind and keep it exercised a good while But after all it may be there were many Fables more intended to follow these and then I have nothing to say but that these were all I found and thought they were too many to be lost to the Publick To the other Objection the Author having nothing to fear has nothing to answer for they are publish'd if not without his Will yet without his Knowledge But should it be granted that one or two Fables are a little too bold and angry yet since there is some Foundation for such sort of Mutterings and Complaints from whence can our Rulers learn these Truths more inoffensively than from such little Stories they will not perhaps attend so easily to wise and good Men as they will to Foxes and Asses and wise and good Men will not it may be dare to tell those Truths these Beasts deliver which yet our Governours should know I will not altogether excuse the Exaggeration of Matters in the twelfth Fable for tho' our Bargain be dear enough yet I can't tell what we should have done without it and Things I hope will mend upon our hands in good time AESOP AT TUNBRIDGE FAB I. Fair Warning IN Aesop's new-made World of Wit Where Beasts could talk and read and write And say and do as he saw fit A certain Fellow thought himself abus'd And represented by an Ass And Aesop to the Judge accus'd That he defamed was Friend quoth the Judge how do you know Whether you are defam'd or no How can you prove that he must mean You rather than another Man Sir quoth the Man it needs must be All Circumstances so agree And all the Neighbours say 't is Me. That 's somewhat quoth the Judge indeed But let this Matter pass Since 't was not Aesop 't is agreed But Application made the Ass. FAB II. The Cock and Pearl A Dunghil Cock was raking in the Ground And flirted up a Pearl I would quoth he thou hadst been found By some great Lord or Earl My self a single Barly-corn Would surely rather find We Creatures that are dull Earth-born Things only useful mind Whilst they who are divinely Wise And do from Iove proceed Thy lovely orient Lustre prize And for thy Beauty trade FAB III. Of the Horse and Ass. A Horse and Ass were journying on their way The Horse was only harness'd light and gay The Ass was heavy loaden and lagg'd behind And thus at length bespake his Friend Companion take some pity on my State And ease me but of half my Weight Half will to you no burthen be And yet a mighty help to me The Horse laugh'd loud and shook his Head And wantonly curvetting said Seignior we Horses never choose The Burthens that we can refuse And should such Jest upon me pass Methinks I should be but an Ass. The Ass quite spent and vext to be deny'd Sunk down beneath his Weight and dy'd The Master coming up took off the Sack And threw it on the Horse's Back And having flaid his Ass he threw The filthy Hide upon him too At which the Horse thus sadly humbled cry'd Letting some Tears for Grief and Anger fall Whether `twere Cruelty or Pride That I so fair Request deny'd I am justly serv'd and made to carry all The Asses of the South and East Desire the Horses of the North and West That as to Parliament they trot This Fable may not be forgot FAB IV. Of the Iudgment of the Ape A Wolf complain'd that he had lost a Lamb And strait impleads a Fox of no good Fame Who had a Lamb that he had stoln the same An Ape was to decide the Cause Having some Knowledg in the Laws No Councel was by either feed Each would his Cause in person plead And so they did with mighty heat The Judg himself did almost sweat To hear the Force of their Debate How they accuse and how defend How they reply'd joyn'd and rejoyn'd At length in pity to the Court The Judg was fain to cut them short And thus determin'd Sirs in troth The Lamb belongs to neither of you both You Mr. Wolf have doubtless lost no Lamb And Renard you as surely stole that same But not from him If Justice might prevail You should be both condemn'd to Fine and Jail So two great Lords for an Estate may fight Which does to neither appertain by Right FAB V. Of the Horse and Man A Fierce wild Boar of monstrous size and force Did once in early days affront a Horse Who meditating Vengeance found his Will To hurt much greater than his Power and Skill And therefore chaf'd and resolute he ran To the next House and thus apply'd to Man I come Superiour Power whom Iove hath made His Substitute on Earth to seek thy Aid Against a sordid Brute who injures me And likewise speaks contemptibly of Thee Iove whom thou nam'st said Man was to thee kind And sent thee where thou shalt Assistance find But this injurious Boar will never meet Our Arms upon the Plain but trusts his Feet But shall his Feet then his Protection be Since Swiftness is the Gift of Iove to thee Mark it my Friend this Insolence Deprives us of our common Sense This doubtless he forgot so will not we You for Convenience will a while submit To be directed with a Bridle and Bitt And take