BOOK.] Chace, 227 



Flourifh'd in air, low-bending plies around 

 His bufy nofe, the (learning vapour fnuffs 

 Inquifitive, nor leaves one turf untried, 

 Till, confcious of the recent ftains, his heart 

 Beats quick" ; his fnuffling nofe, his adive tail, 

 Atteft his joy ; then with deep op'ning mouth. 

 That makes the welkin tremble, he proclaims 

 Th' audacious felon ; foot by foot he marks 

 His winding way, while all the lift'ning crowd 

 Applaud his reas'nings : o*er the wat'ry ford. 

 Dry fandy heaths, and ftony barren hills, 

 0*er beaten paths, with men and beafts diftain'd, 

 Unerring he purfues, till, at the cot 

 Arriv'd, and feizing by his guilty throat 

 The caitif vile, redeems the captive prey : 

 So exquifitely delicate his fenfe ! 



Shou'd fome more curious fportfman here enquire, 

 "Whence this fagacity, this wond'rous pow'r 

 ^ Of tracing, ftep by ftep, or man or brute ? 

 What guide invifible points out their way 

 O'er the dank marlh, bleak hill, and fandy plain ? 

 The courteous Mufe fhall the dark caufe reveal. 

 The blood that from the heart incelLnt rolls 

 In many a crimfon tide, then here and there 

 In fmaller rills difparted, as it flows 

 Propell'd, the ferous particles evade 

 Thro' th' open pores, and with the ambient air 

 Entanglina mix. As fuming vapours rife. 

 And hang upon the gently purling brook, 



0^2 There 



