of liar ri en. 131 



and ravifhed with the deafening clamour of 

 the purfuit, with eager infatuation, all ap- 

 plaud, and the moft apocryphal tales affent 

 to and believe ; whilft he ! wretch arbi- 

 trary, (though illiterate) with ignorance 

 and pride, native to himfelf, afcribes fome 

 pafTages, notable in the chace, to his own 

 good judgment and underftanding ; others, 

 lefs remarkable, to the poor Hare's contri- 

 vance and cunning. 



As I am entered upon the fubjed: of 

 Hares, it may not be impertinent to ob- 

 ferve, how kind Providence has been in the 

 formation of this animal ; and it is v^ell, 

 indeed. Nature has been fo beneficent, 

 there being fcarce a creature breathing, 

 wild or domeftic, but is an enemy to the 

 poor defencelefs Hare. Birds of the air, 

 as well as beafts of the field, feem in per- 

 petual war with her. The very reptile Ad^ 

 der v^^ill kill the old Hare, paffive and de- 

 fencelefs in the combat : nor does the Le- 

 veret feed the fmall circle about its little 

 home, fecure and unmolefted by the defpi- 

 cableBat and Owl. Wherefore, as the moil 

 proper means for prefervation, (amidfl 

 K 2 fuch 



