Roger L'Estrange

“ This Fable shews the Danger and the Mischief of either Rejecting, not Heeding, or not Entertaining it; and likewise at the same time, sets forth how hard a thing it is to fasten Profitable Advice upon Men that Indulge themselves in Ease and Pleasure. They look upon it as so much time lost, to employ the Present upon the thought of the Future; and so by one Delay after another, they spin out their whole Lives, 'till there's no more Future left before 'em. ”

“ Action is Death to some sort of People, and they'd as live Hang as Work. It arises in a great measure too from an Habitual Heedless Inadvertency, when Men are so intent upon the Present, that they mind nothing else ”

“ Birds of Pleasure, and Men of Pleasure are too Merry to be Wise; and the case of this Fable is but the common case of the World. Wholsom Advice comes in at one Ear, and goes out at 'tother. Men, in short, of Blood and Appetite, have no Foresight ”