Trusler, John (1735-1820)

Proverbs Exemplified, and Illustrated by Pictures from Real Life

London

Printed for and published by the Rev. J. Trusler

1790

"A contented mind is a continual feast."

THE known fable of the Dog and the Shadow, is a true emblem of covetousness. With a piece of meat in his mouth, he forded a river, and seeing his own shadow in the water, took it for another dog with a piece of meat, and endeavouring to catch at this other, let that fall which he had hold of, and thus, for the shadow, lost the reality. "Covetousness brings nothing home;" for, in aiming at what is out of our reach, we too often lose what we have in possession.--A contented mind is a continual feast.--And, if we have enough, why should we wish for more?--He who husbands a little well, will make it go farther than he who has a great deal, and takes no care of it. Besides, covetousness is so contrary to the principles of a liberal and humane man, that it is sure to meet with enemies. Every man sets his face against it; and all that part of the world that are not nicely honest, which is by far the greater part of mankind, will take a pleasure in over-reaching one who is covetous; and many a man, with a competent fortune, has risked it, in hopes of adding to his wealth, and lost the whole.
(pp. 189-190)

Eating and Drinking::Feast

ECCO-TCP

Only 1 entry in ESTC (1790).

See Proverbs Exemplified, and Illustrated by Pictures from Real Life. Teaching Morality and a Knowledge of the World; With Prints. Designed As a Succession-Book to Æsop's Fables. ([London]: Printed for and published by the Rev. J. Trusler, and sold at the Literary-Press, and by all booksellers. London May, 1, 1790). <Link to ESTC><Link to ECCO-TCP>

03/12/2014