Has meafur'd half thy furface unfatigued.
In thee alone, fair land of liberty!
Is bred the perfect hound, in fcent and speed
As
yet unrival'd, while in other climes Their virtue fails, a weak degenerate race. In vain malignant steams and winter fogs
Load the dull air, and hover round our coafts,
The huntfman ever gay, robuft, and bold,
Defies the noxious vapour, and confides
In this delightful exercife, to raise
His drooping herd, and chear his heart with joy.
Ye vigorous youths, by fmiling Fortune bleft
With large demefnes, hereditary wealth,
Heap'd copious by your wife fore-fathers' care,
Hear and attend! while I the means reveal
T' enjoy thofe pleafures, for the weak too strong,
Too coftly for the poor: To rein the steed
Swift-ftretching o'er the plain, to chear the pack
Opening in conforts of harmonious joy,
But breathing death. What though the gripe fevere
Of brazen-fifted Time, and flow disease
Creeping through every vein, and nerve unftrung,
Afflict my shatter'd frame, undaunted still,
Fix'd as a mountain afh, that braves the bolts
Of angry Jove; though.blafted, yet unfallen ;
Still can my foul in Fancy's mirrour view
Deeds glorious once, recal the joyous fcene
In all its fplendors deck'd, o'er the full bowl.
Recount my triumphs paft, urge others on
With hand and voice, and point the winding way:
Pleas'd with that focial fweet garrulity,
The poor difbanded veteran's fole delight.
First let the Kennel be the huntsman's care,
Upon fome little eminence erect,
And fronting to the ruddy dawn; its courts
On either hand wide opening to receive
The fun's all-chearing beams, when mild he fhines,
And gilds the mountain tops.
(Rous'd from their dark alcoves) delight to stretch, 130 And bask in his invigorating ray :
Warn'd by the ftreaming light and merry lark,
Forth rufh the jolly clan; with tuneful throats
They carol loud, and in grand chorus join'd
Salute the new-born day. For not alone
The vegetable world, but men and brutes
Own his reviving influence, and joy
At his approach. Fountain of light! if chance
Some envious cloud veil thy refulgent brow,
In vain the Muses aid; untouch'd, unftrung,
Lies my mute harp, and thy defponding bard
Sits darkly mufing o'er th' unfinish'd lay.
Let no Corinthian pillars prop the dome,
A vain expence, on charitable deeds
Better difpos'd, to clothe the tatter'd wretch,
Who fhrinks beneath the blast, to feed the poor
Pinch'd with afflictive want: For use, not state,
Gracefully plain, let each apartment rise.
O'er all let cleanliness prefide, no scraps
Beftrew the pavement, and no half-pick'd bones
To kindle fierce debate, or to disgust
That nicer fenfe, on which the sportsinan's hope,
And all his future triumphs, must depend.
Soon as the growling pack with eager joy
Have lapp'd their smoking viands, morn or eve,
From the full ciftern lead the ductile ftreams,
To wash thy court well pav'd, nor fpare thy pains,
For much to health will cleanlinefs avail.
Seek'ft thou for hounds to climb the rocky steep,
And brush th' entangled covert, whose nice scent
O'er greafy fallows and frequented roads
Can pick the dubious way? Banish far off
Each noisome stench, let no offenfive fmell
Invade thy wide inclofure, but admit
The nitrous air and purifying breeze.
Water and fhade no lefs demand thy care :
In a large fquare th' adjacent field inclofe,
There plant in equal ranks the spreading elm,
Or fragrant lime; most happy thy defign,
If at the bottom of thy fpacious court,
A large canal, fed by the crystal brook,
From its tranfparent bosom shall reflect
Downward thy ftructure and inverted grove.
Here when the fun's too potent gleams annoy
The crowded kennel, and the drooping pack,
Reftlefs and faint, loll their unmoisten'd tongues,
And drop their feeble tails, to cooler shades
Lead forth the panting tribe; soon shalt thou find
The cordial breeze their fainting hearts revive :
Tumultuous foon they plunge into the stream,
There lave their reeking fides, with greedy joy
Gulp down the flying wave, this way and that
From shore to shore 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 difporting play..
But here with watchful and obfervant 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 fstern debate, And quench their kindling rage; for oft in sport Begun, combat enfues, growling they fnarl, Then on their haunches rear'd, rampant they seize 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 base 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' opprefs 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 stiff 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 shade; 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 speed,
Bounds o'er the lawn to seize 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 destroy, but leave that vile offence
To the mean, murderous, courfing crew; intent
On blood and spoil. O blast their hopes, just Heaven!
And all their painful drudgeries repay
With difappointment and fevere remorse.
But husband thou thy pleafures, and give scope
To all her fubtle play: by nature led
A thoufand fhifts fhe tries; t' unravel these
Th' induftrious beagle twifts his waving tail,
Through all her labyrinths pursues, and rings
Her doleful knell. See there with countenance blithe,
And with a courtly grin, the fawning hound
Salutes thee cowering, his wide opening nofe
Upward he curls, and his large floe-black eyes
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