2^8 Somervile's {tniikti 



The forefts tremble, as he roars alou45 

 Impatient to deftroy. O'erjoy'd he hears 

 The bleating innocent, that claims in vain 

 The lliepherd*s care, and feeks with piteous moan 

 The foodful teat-, himfelf, alas! defign'd 

 Another's meal. For now the greedy brute 

 Winds him from far; and leaping o'er the mound 

 To feize his trembling prey, headlong is plung'd 

 Into the deep abyfs. Proftrate he lies 

 Aftunn'd and impotent. Ah 1 what avail 

 Thine eye-balls flafhing fire, thy length of tail. 

 That lalhes thy broad fides, thy jaws befmear'd 

 With blood and offals crude, thy Ihaggy mane 

 The terror of the woods, thy ftately port. 

 And bulk enormous, fince by ftratagem 

 Thy ftrength is foil'd ? Unequal is the llrife. 

 When fov'reign reafon combats brutal rage. 



On diftant Ethiopia's fun-burnt coafls. 

 The black inhabitants a pitfall frame. 

 But of a diff'rent kind, and diff'rent ufe. 

 With flender poles the wide capacious mouth, • 

 And hurdles flight, they clofe; o'er thefe is fpread 

 A floor of verdant turf, with all its flow'rs 

 Smiling delufive, and from ftrittefl: fearch 

 Concealing the deep grave that yawns below. 

 Then boughs of trees they cut, with tempting froit 

 Of various kinds furcharg'dj the downy peach, 

 Thecluft'ring vine, and of bright golden rind 

 The fragrant orange. Soon as ev'ning grey 



Advances 



