Class II. TAME SWA N. 565 



The fvvan with arched neck 

 Between her white wings mantling, proudly rows 

 Her Hate with oary feet. Par. Loft, B. VII. 



But we cannot help thinking that he had here an 

 eye to that beautiful pafTage in Silius Italicus on 

 the fame fubjeel:, though the Englifo poet has great- 

 ly improved on it. 



Ilaud fecus Eridani ilagnis, ripave Cayftri 



Innatat albus olor, pronoque immobile corpus 



Dat fluvio, et pedibus tacitas eremigat undas. Lib. XIV. 



In former times it was ferved up at every great 

 feafl:, when the elegance of the table was meafured 

 by the fize and quantity of the good cheer. 

 Cygnets are to this day fattened at Norwich about 

 Chriftnias, and are fold for a guinea a piece. 



Swans were formerly held in fuch great efteem 

 in England^ that by an act of Edward IV. c. 6. 

 " no one that poffeiTed a freehold of lefs clear 

 yearly value than five marks, was permitted to 

 keep any, other than the fen of our fovereign lord the 

 king." And by the eleventh of Henry VII. c. 17. 

 the punifhment for taking their eggs was imprifon- 

 ment for a year and a day, and a fine at the king's 

 will. Though at prefent they are not fo highly 

 valued as a delicacy, yet great numbers are. pre- 

 ferved for their beauty ; we fee multitudes on the 

 Thames and Trent, but no where greater numbers 

 than on the fait water inlet of the fea, near Ab- 

 botfbury in Dorfetfhire. 



*P p 2 k Thefe 



