BOOK.] Chace, 273^ 



That curl their taper tails, and frifking court 

 Their pyebald mates enamour'd ; their red eyes 

 Flafh fires impure ; nor reft nor food they take. 

 Goaded by furious love. In fep'rate cells 

 Confine them now, left bloody civil wars 

 Annoy thy peaceful ftate. If left at largCj 

 The growling rivals in dread battle join, 

 And rude encounter. On Scamander's ftreams 

 Heroes of old with far lefs fury fought 

 For the bright Spartan dame, their valour's prize. 

 Mangled and torn thy fav'rite hounds fhall lie, 

 Stretch'd on the ground ; thy kennel ftiall appear 

 A field of blood : like fome unhappy town 

 In civil broils confus'd, while difcord fhakes 

 Her bloody fcourge aloft, fierce parties rage. 

 Staining their impious hands in mutual death. 

 And ftill the beft belov'd and braveft fall : 

 Such are the dire effedts of lawlefs love, 



Huntfman ! thefe ills by timely prudent care 

 Prevent : for ev'ry longing dame feled: 

 Some happy paramour ; to him alone 

 In leagues connubial join. Confider well 

 His lineage ; what his fathers did of old, 

 Chiefs of the pack, and firft to climb the rock, 

 Or plunge into the deep, or thread the brake 

 With thorns lTiarp-poinred,pla(h'd, and briars in woven. 

 Obferve with care his fhape, fort, colour, fi^e. 

 Nor will fagacious huntfmen Icfs regard 



T His 



