Nor hounds alone this noxious brood destroy; The plunder'd warrener full many a while Deviles to entrap his greedy foe,

Fat with nocturnal fpoils. At clofe of day With filence drags his trail; then, from the ground Pares thin the close-graz'd turf; there with nice

hand

Covers the latent death, with curious fprings Prepar'd to fly at once, whene'er the tread Of man or beaft unwarily thall prefs The yielding furface. By the indented fteel, With gripe tenaceous held, the felon grins, And struggles, but in vain: yet oft 'tis known, When ev'ry art has fail'd, the captive fox Has fhar'd the wounded joint, and with a limb Compounded for his life. But if perchance In the deep pit-fall plung'd, there's no escape: But unrepriev'd he dies, and bleach'd in air, The jeft of clowns, his recking carcafe hangs. Of thefe are various kinds : not ev'n the king Of brutes evades this deep-devouring grave; But by the wily African betray'd, Heedlefs of fate, within its gaping jaws Expires indignant. When the orient beam With bluthes paints the dawn, and all the race Carnivorous, with blood full gorg'd, retire Into their darkfome cells, there fatiate fnore O'er dripping offals, and the mangled limbs Of men and beafts, the painful forefter Climbs the high hills, whofe proud afpiring tops, With the tall cedar crown'd and taper fir, Affail the clouds; there, 'mong the craggy rocks And thickets intricate, trembling he views His footsteps in the fand, the difinal road And avenue to death. Hither he calls His watchful bands, and low into the ground A pit they fink, full many a fathom deep; Then in the midft a column high is rear'd, The butt of fome fair tree, upon whole top. A lamb is plac'd, just ravish'd from his dam; And next a wall they build, with ftones and earth Encircling round, and hiding from all view The dreadful precipice. Now when the fhades Of night hang lowring o'er the mountain's brow, And hunger keen, and pungent thirst of blood, Rouze up the flothful beaft, he shakes his fides, Slow-rifing from his lair, and stretches wide His rav'nous paws, with recent gore diftain'd. The foreft trembles as he roars aloud, Impatient to deftroy. O'erjoy'd he hears The bleating innocent, that claims in vain The fhepherd's care, and fecks with pitcous moan The foodful teat, himself, alas! design'd Another's meal. For now the greedy brute Winds him from far, and leaping o'er the mound To feize his trembling prey, headlong is plung'd Into the deep abyfs. Proftrate he lies, Aftunn'd and impotent, Ah! what avail Thine eyeballs flashing fire, thy length of tail That lafhes thy broad fides, thy jaws befinear'd With blood and offals crude, thy fhaggy mane, The terror of the woods, thy stately port, And bulk enormous, fince by ftratagem Thy ftrength is foil'd? Unequal is the ftrife When fov'reign reafon combats brutal rage,

On diftant Ethiopia's fun-burnt coafts
The black inhabitants a pitfall frame,
But of a diff'rent kind, and diff'rent ufe.
With flender poles the wide capacious mouth,
And hurdles flight, they clofe; o'er thefe is spread
A floor of verdant turf, with all its flow'rs
Smiling delufive, and from ftrictest search
Concealing the deep grave that yawns below.
Then boughs of trees they cut, with tempting fruit
Of various kinds furcharg'd! the downy peach,
The cluft'ring vinc, and of bright golden rind
The fragrant orange. Soon as ev'ning grey
Advances flow, befprinkling all around
With kind refreshing dews the thirsty glebe,
The ftately elephant from the clofe thade
With ftep majeftic ftrides, eager to tafte
The cooler breeze, that from the fea-beat fhore
Delightful breathes, or in the limpid ftream
To lave his panting fides, joyous he fcents
The rich repaft, unweeting of the death
That lurks within. And foon he fporting breaks
The brittle boughs, and greedily devours
The fruit delicious. Ah! too dearly bought;
The price is life. For now the treach'rous turf,
Trembling, gives way, and the unwieldy beaft,
Self-finking, drops into the dark profound.
So when dilated vapours, ftruggling, heave
Th'incumbent earth, if chancethe cavern'd ground
Shrinking fubfide, and the thin furface yield,
Down finks at once the pond'rous dome in-
gulplı'd

With all its tow'rs. Subtle, delusive Man!
How various are thy wiles! artful to kill
Thy favage focs, a dull unthinking race!
Fierce from his lair fprings forth the fpeckled pard,
Thirsting for blood, and eager to destroy;
The huntfinan flies, but to his flight alone
Confides not, at convenient distance fix'd,
A polifh'd mirror ftops in full career
The furious brute: he there his image views;
Spots against Ipots with rage improving glow!
Another pard his briftly whiskers curls,
Grins as he grins, fierce menacing and wide
Diftends his op'ning paws; himself against
Himfelfoppos'd, and with dread vengeance arm'd,
The huntíman, now fecure, with fatal aim
Directs the pointed fpear, by which transfix'd
He dies, and with him dies the rival shade.
Thus man innum'rous engines form'd t'affail
The favage kind; but most the docile horse,
Swift, and confederate with man, annoys
His brethren of the plains; without whose aid
The hunter's arts were vain, unfkill'd to wage
With the more active brutes an equal war;
But borne by him, without the well-train'd pack
Man dares his foc, on wings of wind secure.

Him the fierce Arab mounts, and with his troop
Of bold compeers ranges the defarts wild,
Where, by the magnet's aid, the traveller
Steers his untrodden corufe, yet oft on land
Is wreck'd, in the high-rolling waves of fand
Immers'd and loft; while thefe intrepid bands.
Safe in their horfes fpeed, outfly the storm,
And fcouring round, makes men and beafts their
The grifly boar is fingled from his herd, [prey.

As

As farge as that in Erimanthean woods,
A match for Herculus. Round him they fly
In circles wide, and each, in paffing, fends
His feather'd death into his brawny fides;
But perilous th'attempt; for if the steed
Haply too near approach, or the loofe earth
His footing fail, the watchful angry beaft
Th'advantage fpies, and at one fidelong glance
Rips up his groin. Wounded he rears aloft,
And plunging, from his back the rider hurls
Precipitant; then, bleeding, spurns the ground,
And drags his reeking entrails o'er the plain.
Meanwhile the furly monfter trots along,
But with unequal fpeed; for ftill they wound,
Swift-wheeling in the fpacious ring. A wood
Of darts upon his back he bears; adown
His tortur'd fides the crimson torrents roll
From many a gaping font ; and now at last
Staggering he falls, in blood and foam expires.

But whither rolls my devious Mufe, intent On antique tales, while yet the royal ftag Unfung remains? Tread with refpectful awe, Windfor's green glades, where Denham, tuncful bard!

Charm'd once the lift'ning Dryads with his fong,
Sublimely fweet. O! grant ine, facred fhade,
To glean fubmifs what thy full fickle leaves.
The morning fun that gilds with trembling
rays

Windfor's high tow'rs, behold the courtly train,
Mount for the Chace, nor views in all his courfe
A fcene fo gay: heroic noble youths,
In arts and arms renown'd, and lovely nymphs,
The fairest of this ifle where beauty dwells
Delighted, and deferts her Paphian grove
For our more favour'd fhades; in proud parade
These shine magnificent, and press around
The royal happy pair. Great in themfelves,
They fmile fuperior, of external fhow
Regardless, while their inbred virtues give
A luftre to their pow'r, and grace their court
With real fplendors, far above the pomp
Of Eastern kings in all their tinfel pride.
Like troops of Amazons, the female band
Prance round their cars, not in refulgent arms
As thofe of old; unfkill'd to wield the fword
Or bend the bow, these kill with furer aim.
The royal offspring, fairest of the fair,
Lead on the fplendid train. Anna, more bright
Than fummer funs, or as the lightning keen,
With irrefiftible effulgence arm'd,

Fires ev'ry heart: he must be more than man
Who unconcern'd can bear the piercing ray.
Amelia, milder than the blushing dawn,
With fweet engaging air, but equal pow'r,
Intenfibly fubdues, and in foft chains
Her willing captives leads. Illuftrious maids!
Ever triumphant! whofe victorious charms,
Without the needlefs aid of high defcent, lords
Had aw'd mankind, and taught the world's great
To bow and fue for grace. But who is he,
Fresh as a rofebud newly blown, and fair
As op'ning lilies, on whom ev'ry eye
With joy and admiration dwells? See, see !

He reins his docile barb with manly grace. Is it Adonis for the chace array'd? Or Britain's fecond hope? Hail, blooming youth! May all your virtues with your years improve, Till in confummate worth you fhine the pride Of thefe our days, and to fucceeding times A bright example. As his guard of mutes On the great Sultan wait with eyes deject And fix'd on earth, no voice no found is heard Within the wide serail, but all is hush'd, And awful filence reigns; thus ftand the pack Mute and unmov'd, and cow'ring low to earth, While pafs the glitt'ring court and royal pair: So difciplin'd thofe hounds, and fo referv'd, Whofe honor 'tis to glad the hearts of kings: But foon the winding horn and huntfinan's voice Let loofe the gen'ral chorus; far around Joy fpreads its wings, and the gay morning fmiles. Unharbour'd now, the royal ftag forfakes His wonted lair; he thakes his dappled fides, And toffes high his beamy head; the copfe Beneath his antlers bends. What doubling fhifts He tries! not more the wily hare; in thefe Would ftill perfift, did not the full-mouth'd pack With dreadful concert thunder in his rear. The woods reply, the hunter's cheering fhouts Float through the glades, and the wide foreft rings. How merrily they chant! their noftrils deep Inhale the grateful fteam. Such is the cry, And fuch th'harmonious din, the foldier deems The battle kindling, and the statefiman grave Forgets his weighty cares: each age, each fex, In the wild transport joins: luxuriant joy, And pleasure in excefs, fparkling exult On ev'ry brow, and revel unreftrain'd. How happy art thou,Man' when thou'rt no more Thyfelf! when all the pangs that grind thy foul, In rapture and in fweet oblivion loft, Yield a fhort interval and eafe from pain!

See the fwift courfer ftrains; his fhining hoofs Securely beat the folid ground. Who now The dang'rous pitfall fears, with tangling heath High-overgrown? or who the quiv'ring bog, Soft-yielding to the ftep? All now is plain, Plain as the ftrand fea-lav'd, that stretches far Beneath the rocky fhore. Glades croffing glades, The foreft opens to our wond'ring view: Such was the king's command. Let tyrants fierce Lay wafte the world; his the more glorious part To check their pride; and when the brazen voice Of war is huth'd (as erft victorious Rome) T'employ his ftation'd legions in the works Of peace, to fimooth the rugged wilderness, To drain the ftagnate fen, to raise the flope Depending road, and to make gay the face Of nature with th'embellishments of art.

How melts my beating arts as I behold Each lovely nymph, our island's boast and pride, Pufh on the gen'rous fteed, that strokes along O'er rough, o'er fmooth, nor heeds the steepy hill, Nor falters in th’extended vale below; Their garments loofely waving in the wind, And all the flush of beauty in their checks! While at their fides their penfive lovers wait, Y Direct

The flipp'ry bank, while others on firm land Engage: the ftag repels each bold affault, [turns. Maintains his poft, and wounds for wounds reAs when fome wily Corfairs boards a fhip Full-freighted, or from Afric's golden coafts Or India's wealthy ftrand, his bloody crew Upon her deck he ilings; thefe in the deep Drop fhort, and swin to reach her steepy fides, And clinging, climb aloft, while those on board Urge on the work of fate; the master bold, Prefs'd to his last retreat, bravely refolves To fink his wealth beneath the whelming wave, His wealth, his foes, nor unreveng'd to die. So fares it with the ftag; fo he refolves To plunge at once into the flood below, Himfelf, his foes, in one deep gulph immers'd. Ere yet he executes this dire intent, In wild diforder once more views the light; Beneath a weight of woe he groans diftrefs'd, The tears run trickling down his airy cheeks: He weeps, nor weeps in vain. The king beholds His wretched plight, and tenderness innate Moves his great foul. Soon at his high command Rebuk'd, the disappointed hungry pack Retire fubmifs, and, grumbling, quit their prey. Great Prince, from thee what may thy fubjects So kind and fo beneficent to brutes! [hope, O Mercy, heav'nly born! fweet attribute! Thou great, thou best, prerogative of pow'r ! Juftice may guard the throne, but join'd with thee, On rocks of adamant it ftands fecure, And braves the ftorm beneath; foon as thy fmiles Gild the rough deep, the foaming waves fubfide, And all the noify tumult finks in peace.

$41. The Chace. SOMERVILLE. BOOK IV.

THE ARGUMENT.

Of the neceffity of deftroying fome beafts, and preferving others for the ufe of man. Of breeding of hounds; the feafon for this business. The choice of the dog of great moment. Of the litter of whelps. Of the number to be reared. Of Jetting them out to their feveral walks. Care to be taken to prevent their hunting too foon. Of entering the whelps. Of breaking them from running at Sheep. Of the difeafes of hounds. Of their age. Of madness; two forts of it defcribed, the dumb and outrageous madness: its dreadful effects. Burning of the wound recommended as preventing all ill confequences. The infectious hounds to be feparated, and fed apart. The vanity of trufting to the many infallible cures for this malady. The difmal effects of the biting of a mad dog upon man defcrib'd. De fcription of the method of otter hunting. The conclufion.

WH HATE'ER of earth is form'd -to earth

returns

Diffolv'd: the various objects we behold, Plants, animals, this whole material mafs,

The foul

Are ever changing, ever new.
Of man alone, that particle divine,
Efcapes the wreck of worlds, when all things fail:
Hencegreat the diftance'twixt the beasts that perifh
And God's bright image, man's immortal race.
The brute creation are his property,
Subfervient to his will, and for him made:
As hurtful these he kills, as ufeful those
Preferves; their fole and arbitrary king.
Should he not kill as erft the Samian fage
Taught unadvis'd, and Indian Brachmans now
As vainly preach, the teeming rav'nous brutes
Might fill the fcanty space of this terrene,
Incumb'ring all the globe: fhould not his care
Improve his growing stock, their kinds might fail,
Man might once more on roots and acorns feed,
And thro' the defarts range, fhiv'ring, forlorn,
Quite deftitute of ev'ry folace dear,
And ev'ry fmiling gaiety of life.

The prudent huntfman therefore will supply
With annual large recruits his broken pack,
And propagate their kind. As from the root
Fresh fciens ftill fpring forth, and daily yield
New blooming honors to the parent tree;
Far fhall his pack be fam'd, far fought his breed,
And princes at their tables feat thofe hour.ds
His hand prefents, an acceptable boon.

Ere yet the fun thro' the bright Ram has urg'd
His fteepy courfe, or mother Earth unbound
Her frozen bofom to the western gale;
When feather'd troops, their focial leagues dif-
folv'd,

Select their mates, and on the leaflefs elm
The noify rook builds high her wicker neft,
Mark well the wanton females of thy pack
That curl their taper tails, and frisking court
Their pie-bald mates enamour'd; their red eyes
Flash fire impure; nor reft nor food they take,
Goaded by a furious love. In feparate cells
Confine them now, left bloody civil wars
Annoy thy peaceful state. If left at large,
The growling rivals in dread battle join,
And rude encounter: on Scamander's ftreams
Heroes of old with far lefs fury fought
For the bright Spartan dame, their valour's prize.
Mangled and torn thy fav'rite hounds fhall lie
Stretch'd on the ground; thy kennel shall appear
A field of blood: like fome unhappy town
In civil broils confus'd, while Discord fhakes
Her bloody fcourge aloft, fierce parties rage,
Staining their impious hands in mutual death;
And ftill the best belov'd and bravest fall :
Such are the dire effects of lawless love.

Huntfinan! thefe ills, by timely prudent care,
Prevent: for ev'ry longing dame felect
Some happy parainour; to him alone
In leagues connubial join. Confider well
His lineage; what his fathers did of old,
Chiefs of the pack, and first to climb the rock,
Or plunge into the deep, or thread the brake
With thorns fharp-pointed, plash'd, and briers
inwoven.

Obferve with care his fhape, fort, colour, fize :
Nor will fagacious huntsmen less regard

His

His inward habits. The vain babbler fhun,
Ever loquacious, ever in the wrong:
His foolith offspring fhall offend thy ears
With falfe alarms and loud impertinence.
Nor lets the thifting cur avoid, that breaks
Illufive from the pack; to the next hedge
Devious he trays, there ev'ry mufe he tries;
If haply then he crofs the fteaming fcent,
Away he flies vainglorious, and exults
As of the pack fupreme, and in his speed
And ftrength unrivall'd. Lo! caft far behind,
His vex'd affociates pant, and lab'ring ftrain
To climb the steep afcent. Soon as they reach
Th'infulting boafter, his falfe courage fails,
Behind he lags, doom'd to the fatal noofe,
His mafter's hate, and fcorn of all the field.
What can from fuch be hop'd but a bafe brood
Of coward curs, a frantic, vagrant, race!

When now the third revolving moon appears, With tharpen'd horns, above the Horizon's brink, Without Lucina's aid, expect thy hopes

Are amply crown'd: fhort pangs produce to light

The fmoking litter, crawling, helpless, blind;
Nature their guide, they feck the pouting teat
That plenteous ftreams. Soon as the tender dam
Has form'd them with her tongue, with pleafure
The marks of their renown'd progenitors, [view
Sure pledge of triumphs yet to come. All thefe
Select with joy, but to the merciless flood
Expofe the dwindling refufe, nor o'erload
Th'indulgent mother. If thy heart relent,
Unwilling to deftroy, a nurfe provide,
And to the fofter-parent give the care
Of thy fuperfluous brood; the'll cherish kind
The alien offspring; pleas'd, thou shalt behold
Her tenderness and hospitable love.

If frolic now and playful they defert
Their gloomy cell, and on the verdant turf,
With nerves improv'd, purfuc the inimic Chace,
Courfing around, unto thy choiceft friends
Commit thy valu'd prize the ruftic dames
Shall at thy kennel wait, and in their laps
Receive thy growing hopes, with many a kifs
Carefs, and dignify their little charge
With fome great title, and refounding name
Of high import. But cautious here obferve
To check their youthful ardour, nor permit
Th'unexperienc'd younker, immature,
Alone to range the woods, or haunt the brakes
Where dodging conies fport: his nerves unftrung,
And ftrength unequal, the laborious Chace
Shall fint his growth, and his rath forward youth
Contract fuch vicious habits as thy care
And late correction never thall reclain.

When to full ftrength arriv'd, mature and bold, Conduct them to the field; not all at once, But as thy cooler prudence fhall direct, Select a few, and form them by degrees To ftricter difcipline. With thefe confort The ftanch and fteady fages of thy pack, By long experience vers'd in all the wiles And fubtle doublings of the various Chace. Eafy the leffon of the youthful train

When inttinet prompts, and when example guides.
If the too forward younker at the head
Preis boldly on in wanton sportive mood,
Correct his hafte, and let him feel abath'd
The ruling whip; but if he ftop behind,
In wary modeft guife, to his own nofe
Confiding fure, give him full fcope to work
His winding way, and with thy voice applaud
His patience and his care; foon fhalt thou view
The hopeful pupil leader of his tribe,

And all the lift'ning pack attend his call. [play,
Oft lead them forth where wanton lambkins
And bleating dams with jealous eyes obferve
Their tender care. If at the crowding flock
He bay prefumptuous, or with eager hafte
Pursue them fcatter'd o'er the verdant plain,
In the foul fact attach'd, to the ftrong ram
Tie faft the rafh offender. See! at firft
His horn'd companion, fearful and amaz'd,
Shall drag him trembling o'er the rugged ground;
Then with his load fatigu'd, fhall turn a-head,
And with his curl'd hard front inceflant peal
The panting wretch, till breathlefs and aftunn'd,
Stretch'd on the turf he lie. Then spare not thou
The twining whip, but ply his bleeding fides,
Lafh after lafh; and with thy threat'ning voice,
Harth-echoing from the hills, inculcate loud
His vile offence. Sooner fhall trembling doves,
Efcap'd the hawk's fharp talons, in mid air
Affail their dang'rous foe than he once more
Difturb the peaceful flocks. In tender age
Thus youth is train'd, as curious artists bend
The taper pliant twig, or potters form
Their foft and ductile clay to various fhapes.

Nor is't enough to breed, but to preferve Muft be the huntfman's care. The stanch old hounds,

Guides of thy pack, tho' but in number few,
Are yet of great account; fhall oft untie
The Gordian knot when reafon at a stand,
Puzzling, is loft, and all thy art is vain.
O'er clogging fallows, o'er dry plafter'd roads,
O'er floated meads, o'er plains with flocks dif-
tain'd,
Rank-fcenting, thefe muft lead the dubious way.
As party chiefs in fenates who prefide
With pleaded reafon and with well-turn'd speech
Conduct the ftaring multitude, fo these
Direct the pack, who with joint cry approve,
And loudly boaft difcoveries not their own.
Unnumber'd accidents and various ills
Attend thy pack, hang hov'ring o'er their heads,
And point the way that leads to Death's dark cave.
Short is their span; few at the date arrive
Of ancient Argus, in old Homer's fong
So highly honor'd: kind, fagacious, brute!
Not ev'n Minerva's wifdom could conceal
Thy much-lov'd mafter from thy nicer fenfe:
Dying, his lord he own'd, view'd him all o'er.
With eager eyes, then clos'd thofe eyes, well
pleas'd.

Of leffer ills the mufe declines to fing,
Nor floops fo low; of thefe each groom can tell
The proper remedy. But, Of what care,

What