118 EEMIMSCENCES OF A SPORTSMAN. 



CHAP. XL 



THE HAEE. — FOEM OF EYES AND EAES -WELL PLACED FOE ITS 

 PEOTECXION. — FASCIN^ATED -WHEN PTJEStTED BY STOAT OE WEASEL, 

 — WEIGHT OF HAEES. — HAEES TEEY PEOLIFIC. — E:ffEMIES OF 

 HAEE, — CUEIOFS OLD FRENCH EECIPE FOE DRESSING A HAEE. 



" One slielteretl liare 

 Has never heard the sanguinary j-ell 

 Of cruel man, exulting in her woes, 

 Innocent pasture of my peaceful home, 

 Whom ten long years' experience of my care, 

 Has made at last familiar ; she has lost 

 Much of her ^"igilant instinctire di'ead. 

 Not needful here, beneath a roof like mine. 

 Yes — thou mayest eat thy bread, and lick the hand 

 That feeds thee ; thou mayest frolic on the floor 

 At evening, and at night retire secure 

 To thy straw couch, and slumber unalarmed ; 

 For I have gained thy confidence, have pledged 

 All that is human in me to protect 

 Thine unsuspecting gratitude and love. 

 If I survive thee, I -will dig thy grave. 

 And, when I place thee in it, sighing say, 

 I knew at least one hare that had a friend." * — Cowper. 



I SHALL not enter into a general description of tlie 

 hare, which is so well known, but merely point out 



* Memorandum found among Mr. Cowper's papers : — " Tuesday, 

 March 9th, 1786 : — This day died poor puss, aged eleven years, eleven 

 months. She died between t^^elve and one at noon, of mere old age, and 

 apparently without pain." 



