80 THOUGHTS ON HUNTING 



What lengths we pass ! where will the wand'ring Chase 

 Lead us bewilder'd ! Smooth as swallows skim 

 The new-shorn mead, and far more swift, we fly. 

 See my brave pack ! how to the head they press, 

 Jostling in close array, then more diffuse 

 Obliquely wheel, while from their op'ning mouths 

 The vollied thunder breaks. 



Look back and view 



. .' The strange confusion of :he vale below, 



Where sour vexation reigns ; 



Old age laments 



His vigour spent : the tall, plump, brawny youth 

 Curses his cumbrous bulk ; and envies now 

 The short pygmean race, he whilome kenn'd 

 With proud insulting leer. A chosen few 

 Alone the sport enjoy, nor droop beneath 

 Their pleasing toils. SOMERVILLE. 



Ha ! a check. Now for a moment's patience ! We press too close upon 

 the hounds ! Huntsman, stand still ! as yet they want you not. 

 How admirably they spread ! how wide they cast ! Is there a single hound 

 that does not try ? If there be, ne'er shall he hunt again. There, True- 

 man is on the scent : he feathers, yet still is doubtful. 'Tis right ! how 

 readily they join him ! See those wide-casting hounds, how they fly for- 

 ward to recover the ground they have lost ! Mind Lightning, how she 

 dashes ; and Mungo, how he works ! Old Frantic, too, now pushes for- 

 ward : she knows as well as we the fox is sinking. 



Ha ! yet he flies, nor yields 

 To black despair. But one loose more and all 

 His wiles are vain. Hark ! through yon village now 

 The rattling clamour rings. The barns, the cots, 

 And leafless elms, return the joyous sounds. 

 Thro' ev'ry homestall, and thro' ev'ry yard, 

 His midnight walks, panting, forlorn, he flies. SOMEEVILLE. 



Huntsman ! at fault at last ? How far did you bring the scent ? Have 

 the hounds made their own cast ? Now make yours. You see that sheep- 

 dog has coursed the fox : get forward with your hounds, and make a wide 

 cast. 



Hark ! that halloo is indeed a lucky one. If we can hold him on, we 

 may yet recover him ; for a fox so much distressed must stop at last. We 

 shall now see if they will hunt as well as run ; for there is but little scent, 

 and the impending cloud still makes that little less. How they enjoy the 

 scent ! See how busy they all are, and how each in his turn prevails ! 



Huntsman, be quiet ! Whilst the scent was good, you press' d on 

 your hounds : it was well done : when they came to a check, you stood 

 still and interrupted them not : they were afterwards at fault ; you made 

 your cast with judgment, and lost no time. You now must let them hunt. 

 With such a cold scent as this you can do no good : they must do it all 

 themselves. Lift them now, and not a hound will stoop again. Ha ! a 



