The Hare 91 



increases as they go. The spaniel's broad hind 

 paws are thrown wide apart as he runs, strikino; 

 outwards as well as backwards, and his large ears 

 are lifted by the wind of his progress. 



Overtaken by the cartridges, still the hare, as he 

 lies in the dewy grass, is handsome ; lift him up and 

 his fur is full of colour, there are layers of tint, 

 shadings of brown within it, one under the other, 

 and the surface is exquisitely clean. The colours 

 are not really bright, at least not separately ; but 

 they are so clean and so clear that they give an 

 impression of warmth and brightness. Even in 

 the excitement of sport regret cannot but be felt 

 at the sight of those few drops of blood about the 

 mouth which indicate that all this beautiful work- 

 manship must now cease to be. Had he escaped 

 the sportsman would not have been displeased. 



Richard Jefferies. 



The Hunting of the Hare ^> ^> 



(From Venus and Adonis) 



AND when thou hast on foot the purblind 

 hare, 

 Mark the poor wretch, to overshoot his troubles. 

 How he outruns the wind, and with what care 

 He cranks and crosses, with a thousand doubles : 

 The many musets through the which he goes 

 Are like a labyrinth to amaze his foes. 



Sometime he runs among a flock of sheep. 

 To make the cunning hounds mistake their smell. 

 And sometime where earth-delving conies keep. 

 To stop the loud pursuers in their yell ; 

 And sometime sorteth with a herd of deer : 

 Danger deviseth shifts ; wit waits on fear : 



