OF ALL COUNTRIES. " 23 



Stretch on soft slime ; in slime the sea-cow hides, 

 And on the yielding bed reclines her sides. 

 The cramp-fish rightly nam'd from numbing pain, 

 And wide-mouthed lizards sandy heaps disdain. 

 In grosser filth they pass their wanton days, 

 Search the rich mud and wreath thro' hidden ways." 



Or again, to take the account of the diet affected by the 

 various kinds of fish given in the third book — 



" Sea-crows, the tannic, shrimps, the wolf approves, 

 The bream's voracious gust the gaper moves. 

 Ox-eyes excite the sharp-teethed ruff's desire. 

 Horse-tails the various rainbow's paint admire. 

 The oerve surmullets tempt to certain fate. 

 For yellow-tails with bright-ey'd pearches bait. 

 Cackrels the gilt-heads glitt'ring race invite, 

 And tender prekes the lamprey's taste delight. 

 Thus larger kinds ; the fair one of the seas, 

 Nam'd from his beauteous form, young tunnies please. 

 On the small cod the full-grown tunnie feeds. 

 When wolves attract the wounded anthie bleeds. 

 To crested horse-tails, hungry sword-fish haste. 

 And mullets please the shark's judicious taste." 



Yet one more passage, in which we not only set the net, 

 but descend witli it into the deep abyss, and watch it 

 gather in the frightened prey — 



" Down thro' the gloomy regions of the bay 

 The leaded snare divides its silent way, 

 Impatient till it seize the destined prey. 

 The spikes impetuous reach the dark profound, 

 At once they reach, and dart the num'rous wound. 

 Th' inverted barbs confine in cruel chains 

 The captives writhing with the steely pains. 



" The various tortures of the bleeding shoal 

 Command a pity from the stoutest soul. 

 Here gasping heads confess the killing smart. 

 There bleeds a tail, and quivers round the dart. 



