Jupiter had a Farm a long time upon his hand, for want of a Tenant to come up to his Price, 'till a Bold Fellow at last was content to Take it, upon Condition that he Himself might have the Ordering of the Air and the Seasons, as he thought fit. So Jupiter Covenanted with him, that it should be Hot or Cold, Wet or Dry, Calm or Windy, as the Tenant should Direct. In Conclusion, this Man had effectually a Climate of his own, that his very next Neighbours felt nothing of: And it was well they did not; for when they had a Plentiful Harvest and Vintage, the Farmer himself had hardly any Corn of Grass upon his Ground. He took other Measure the Year following, which (as it fell out) prov'd the more Unkindly of the Two. He held on however, till he was upon the very Point of Breaking; and when it came to that once, he was e'ev glad to Petition Jupiter to Release him of his Bargain; for he was now Convinc'd, that Providence knows Better what is good for us, then we know what is good for our Selves.
We should do well to make it One Petition in our Litany, that in many Cases Heaven would be so Gracious to us, as not to hear our Prayers; for we are otherwise in Danger to be Undone by our own Wishes. Source:
L'Estrange 435.
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M0778 (not in Perry)
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