WARWICKSHIRE HUNT. 405 



VENATOR'S FAREWELL, ( this season, ) 

 TO HIS SPORTING FRIENDS. 



' The Season o'er, thejoUy band 

 Around the board now take their stand ; 

 Fill to the brim ! re-echoes loud 

 From ev'ry voice within the crowd. 

 Diana, Goddess of the Chase, 

 With three times three, in cups we grace, 



And all her hunting train ; 

 One bumper more, — one parting glass, 

 First to fox-hunting, — then your lass, 



Until we meet again !' 



Now Spring, indulgent maid, resume 

 All thy sweet loveliness and bloom ; 

 While Flora gay the glebe and bowers 

 Richly adorns with corn and flowers. 



The god that fitly doth preside 

 Over the woods and forests wide ; 

 The goddesses that do prevail 

 Over each wood, and grove, and vale. 

 The nymphs who rule the fields so gay, 

 And those who in the meadow stray ; 

 With all that range the fields and grounds 

 Within imaginative bounds. 

 Will ev'ry bounty, kind, bestow 

 To grace our paradise below. 



Ye river nymphs of agile limb, 

 Who tliro' the lucid water swim. 

 And ye who pass, in artless play. 

 In fountain clear the time away. 

 Now fearless glide — yet oft be seen 

 Sporting upon their margent green, 

 Where flowers of sweetest odour vie 

 To charm the sense, and please the eye ! 



Now Mab, of fay the lovely queen. 

 With all thy train, on pastures green 

 Dance featly round the magic ring. 

 To music sweet, and sweetly sing. 

 Join'd by Robin Puck, the fairy, 

 Who all winter long the dairy 

 D D 



