MR. THORNHILL— 1834. 297 



Sunk the hill near the Windmill, quick as the gale 

 That drives, by its current, the half-canvass'dsail. 

 Then quitting the village, to Knightcote inclin'd. 

 But when he could not make good head-way up-wind. 

 For Watergall made, yet he there did not stay. 

 But took to the right, and then posted away ; 

 Cross'd o'er Southam road, and to Hodnell Farm close. 

 Turning up to the left, soon fac'd Radbourne Gorse. 

 Tho' within a field's breadth, stout reynard disdain'd 

 The covert, and still in the open remain'd. 



Took the right to Prior's Hardwick ; now ev'ry man 

 Was in prime luck to day who appear'd in the van. 

 Tremendous the pace, yet the stanch gallant hounds 

 Kept close to his brush o'er the fences and grounds. 

 For the horse and his rider how timely and well. 

 The pack came to a cheeky at the Oxford Canal ! 



We knew not if pug in a hath had indulg'd. 

 But the hounds in two minutes the secret divulg'd. 

 Now clapp'd on again, and to Hardwick they went. 

 When here on a sudden was alter'd the scent. 

 Cold hunting succeeded o'er Boddington Hill^ 

 The pace it was slow, as the odour was chill 5 

 Then down Claydon Hill, where, as fate had decreed. 

 The pack had no chance to improve on their speed. 

 Soon at Prior's Hardwick a shelter he found 

 In a drain, — and escap'd from the well-tutor'd hound ! 



Neither the Field nor the Master wished for the death 

 of this gallant old fox, as he had carried us over as fine and 

 magnificent a country as any in England, at a great pace 5 

 the distance 1 1 miles at least, in 45 minutes. At starting 



u 3 



