2 74 Somervile 's [fourth 



His inward habits ; the vain babbler Ihun, 

 Ever loquacious, ever in the wrong. 

 His foolifh offspring Ihall offend thy ears 

 With falfe alarms, and loud impertinence. 

 Nor lefs the fbifting cur avoid, that breaks 

 Illufive from the pack ; to the next hedge 

 Devious he flrays, there ev'ry mufe he tries j 

 If haply then he crofs the flreaming fcent. 

 Away he flies vain glorious, and exults 

 As of the pack fupreme, and in his fpeed 

 And ftrength unrivall'd. L.o ! caft far behind 

 His vex'd affociates pant, and lab'ring (train 

 To climb the flcep afcent. Soon as they reach 

 Th' infulting boafter, his falfe courage fails, 

 Behind he lags, doom'd to the fatal noofe. 

 His mailer's hate, and fcorn of all the field. 

 What can from fuch be hop'd, but a bafe brood 

 Of coward curs, a frantic, vagrant race ? 



When now the third revolving moon appears. 

 With fharpen'd horns, above th' horizon's brink. 

 Without Lucina's aid, exped: thy hopes 

 Are amply crown'd ; ihort pangs produce to light 

 The fmoking litter, crawling, helplefs, blind. 

 Nature their guide, they feek the pouting teat. 

 That plenteous Hreams. Soon as the tender dam 

 Has form*d them with her tongue, with pleafure view 

 The marks of their renown'd progenitors. 

 Sure pledge of triumphs yet to come. All thefe 

 Seled with joy j but to the merc'icfs flood 



Expofe 



