Gulp down the flying wave, this way and that
From shore to fhore they swim, while clamour loud
And wild uproar torments the troubled flood:
Then on the funny bank they roll and stretch
Their dripping limbs, or else in wanton rings
Courfing around, purfuing and pursued,
The merry multitude disporting play.
But here with watchful and observant eye, Attend their frolicks, which too often end In bloody broils and death. High o'er thy head Wave thy refounding whip, and with a voice Fierce-menacing o'er-rule the stern debate, And quench their kindling rage; for oft in sport Begun, combat enfues, growling they fnarl, Then on their haunches rear'd, rampant they feize Each other's throats, with teeth and claws in gore Befmear'd, they wound, they tear, till on the ground, Panting, half dead the conquer'd champion lies: Then fudden all the bafe ignoble crowd Loud-clamouring feize the helpless worried wretch And thirsting for his blood, drag different ways His mangled carcafs on th' enfanguin'd plain.
O breasts of pity void! t'oppress the weak,
To point your vengeance at the friendless head,
And with one mutual cry infult the fall'n!
Emblem too juft of man's degenerate race.
Others apart, by native inftinct led,
Knowing inftructor! 'mong the ranker grass
Cull each falubrious plant, with bitter juice
Concoctive ftor'd, and potent to allay
Each vicious ferment. Thus the hand divine
Of Providence, beneficent and kind
To all his creatures, for the brutes prescribes
A ready remedy, and is himself
Their great phyfician. Now grown ftiff with age,
And many a painful chace, the wife old hound,
Regardless of the frolick pack, attends
His master's fide, or flumbers at his ease
Beneath the bending fhade; there many a ring
Runs o'er in dreams; now on the doubtful foil
Puzzles perplex'd, or doubles intricate
Cautious unfolds, then wing'd with all his fpeed,
Bounds o'er the lawn to feize his panting prey:
And in imperfect whimperings fpeaks his joy.
A different hound for every different chace
Select with judgment; nor the timorous hare
O'ermatch'd deftroy, but leave that vile offence
To the mean, murderous, courfing crew; intent
On blood and spoil. O blast their hopes, juft Heaven!
And all their painful drudgeries repay
With disappointment and severe remorse.
But husband thou thy pleasures, and give scope
To all her fubtle play: by nature led
A thousand fhifts fhe tries; t' unravel these
Th' industrious beagle twifts his waving tail,
Through all her labyrinths purfues, and rings
Her doleful knell. See there with countenance blithe,
And with a courtly grin, the fawning hound
Salutes thee cowering, his wide opening nose
Upward he curls, and his large floe-black eyes
Melt in foft blandifhments, and humble joy ;
His gloffy fkin, or yellow-pied, or blue,
In lights or fhades by Nature's pencil drawn,
Reflects the various tints; his ears and legs
Fleckt here and there, in gay enamel'd pride,
Rival the fpeckled pard; his rufh-grown tail
O'er his broad back bends in an ample arch;
On fhoulders clean, upright and firm he stands
His round cat foot, ftrait hams, and wide-fpread thighs,
And his low-dropping cheft, confefs his fpeed,
His ftrength, his wind, or on the steepy hill,
Or far-extended plain; in every part
So well proportion'd, that the nicer skill
Of Phidias himself can't blame thy choice.
Of fuch compofe thy pack. But here a mean
Observe, nor the large hound prefer, of size
Gigantick; he in the thick-woven covert
Painfully tugs, or in the thorny brake
Torn and embarrafs'd bleeds; But if too fmall,
The pigmy brood in every furrow swims;
Moil'd in the clogging clay, panting they lag
Behind inglorious; or else fhivering creep
Benumb'd and faint beneath the fheltering thorn.
For hounds of middle fize, active and strong,
Will better answer all thy various ends,
And crown thy pleafing labours with fuccefs.
As fome brave captain, curious and exact,
By his fix'd standard forms in equal ranks
His gay battalion, as one man they move
Step after step, their fize the fame, their arms
Far-gleaming, dart the fame united blaze:
Reviewing generals his merit own;
How regular! how juft! And all his cares
Are well repaid, if mighty George approve.
So model thou thy pack, if honour touch
Thy generous foul, and the world's just applause.
But above all take heed, nor mix thy hounds
Of different kinds; difcordant founds fhall grate
Thy ears offended, and a lagging line
Of babbling curs difgrace thy broken pack.
But if th' amphibious otter be thy chace,
Or ftately stag, that o'er the woodland reigns;
Or if the harmonious thunder of the field
Delight thy ravish'd ears; the deep-flew'd hound 285
Breed up with care, strong, heavy, flow, but fure;
Whofe ears down-hanging from his thick round head
Shall fweep the morning dew, whofe clanging voice
Awake the mountain echo in her cell,
And shake the forefts: The bold Talbot kind ;
Of these the prime; as white as Alpine fnows;
And great their ufe of old. Upon the banks
Of Tweed, flow winding through the vale, the feat
Of war and rapine once, ere Britons knew
The fweets of peace, or Anna's dread commands 295
To lafting leagues the haughty rivals aw'd,
There dwelt a pilfering race; well train'd and skill'd
In all the mysteries of theft, the spoil
Their only fubftance, feuds and war their sport :
Not more expert in every fraudful art
Th' arch felon was of old, who by the tail
Drew back his lowing prize: in vain his wiles,
In vain the shelter of the covering rock,
In vain the footy cloud, and ruddy flames
That issued from his mouth; for foon he paid
His forfeit life: a debt how justly due
To wrong'd Alcides, and avenging Heaven!
Veil'd in the shades of night they ford the stream,
Then prowling far and near, whate'er they feize
Becomes their prey; nor flocks nor herds are fafe, 310
Nor ftalls protect the fteer, nor ftrong-barr'd doors
Secure the favourite horfe. Soon as the morn
Reveals his wrongs, with ghaftly visage wan..
The plunder'd owner ftands, and from his lips
A thoufand thronging curfes burst their way:
He calls his ftout allies, and in a line
His faithful hound he leads, then with a voice
That utters loud his rage, attentive chears:
Soon the fagacious brute, his curling tail
Flourish'd in air, low bending plies around
His bufy nose, the steaming vapour fnuffs
Inquifitive, nor leaves one turf untried,
Till, confcious of the recent ftains, his heart
Beats quick; his fnuffling nofe, his active tail,
Atteft his joy; then with deep opening mouth,
That makes the welkin tremble, he proclaims
'Th' audacious felon; foot by foot he marks
His winding way, while all the listening crowd
Cacus, Virg. Æn. lib. viii.
|