POPULARITY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



295 



Hath reached the lofty mountains ; still he cowers, 

 Hiding his slunken tail as to the woods he scours." 



Virg. ^En.,xi, 809—13. 



Not to be too diffuse on this head, I shall merely subjoin a few more specimens 

 taken at random from authors which appear apposite to me, though of course, as 

 recollection serves, hosts of others may occur to the reader. 



A Warrior compared to a Bear. 



" Or as a Bear, encompass'd round with Dogs ; 



Who having pinch'd a few, and made them cry, 



The rest stand all aloof, and bark at him." Shakspeare. 



Owl and Mouse. 



" And as an Owl that in a barn 



Sees a Mouse creeping in the corn, 



Sits still, and shuts his round blue eyes, 



As if he slept, until he spies 



The little beast within his reach, 



Then starts and seizes on the wretch ; 



So from his couch the knight did start 



To geize upon the widow's heart." Butler's Hudibras. 



In the grasp of a foe. 



" Nought booted it the paynim then to strive : 



For as a Bittern in the Eagle" s clawe, 



That may not hope by flight to 'scape alive, 



Still waytes for death with dread and trembling aw : 



So he now, subject to the victor's law, 



Did not once move, nor upward cast his eye." Spenser. 



Perseverance of Flies. 



" Or as a swarm of Flies in vintage time, 



About the wine-press where sweet must is pour'd, 



Beat off", returns as oft with humming sound." Milton. 



A Sly old Fox. 



" As when a gaunt and hungry Fox is found, 

 Entrapp'd alive in some rich hunter's ground; 

 Fed for the field, although each day's a feast, 

 Fatten you may, but never tame the beast ; 

 A house protects him, savoury viands sustain, 

 But loose his neck, and off he goes again; 

 So stole our vagrant, from his warm retreat 

 To rove a prowler, and be deemed a cheat," Crabbe. 

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