'fcooic.] Chace. 237 



Upon our ravifll'd ears ! The hunters (hout. 



The clanging horns fwell their fweet-winding notes. 



The pack wide-op'ning load the trembling air 



With various melody ; from tree to tree 



The propagated cry redoubling bounds. 



And winged zephyrs waft the floating joy 



Thro' all the regions near. AfRiftive birch 



No more the fchool-boy dreads; his prifon broke, 



Scamp'ring he flies, nor heeds his mailer's call ; 



The weary traveller forgets his road, 



And climbs th' adjacent hill; the ploughman leaves 



Th' unfinifli'd furrow ; nor his bleating flocks 



Are now the fliepherd's joy ; men, boys, and girls, 



Defert th' unpeopled village ; and wild crowds 



Spread o'er the plain, by the fweet frenzy feiz'd. 



Look, how fhe pants ! and o'er yon op'ning glade 



Slips glancing by ; while, at the further end. 



The puzzling pack unravel, wile by wile. 



Maze within maze. The covert's utmofl: bound 



Slyly Ihe fkirts ; behind them cautious creeps, 



And in that very track, fo lately ftain'd 



By all the fl:eaming crowd, feems to purfue 



The foes fhe flies. Let cavillers deny 



That brutes have reafon ; fure 'tis fomething more, 



'Tis Heav'n direds, and flratagems infpires. 



Beyond the fliort extent of human thought. 



But hold 1 fee her from the covert break 5 



Sad on yon little eminence fhe flrs ; 

 intent fhe lifl:cns with one ear ercdl, 



Pond'ring, 



