Ciib-Jiimtiug and After 



is idle. Is not this better than to suffer from 

 continual disappointment, from incessant babbling 

 of unsteady hounds ? " 



No doubt, Mr. Beckford, when you have a 

 well-trained pack. Now for Nimrod. 



''^Harken, hark! or yooi over in! or eloo 

 in ! ' holloas, or cries, Mr. Osbaldeston. ' Oh, 

 you beauties ! ' rapturously exclaims some Mel- 

 tonian. The gorse appears shaken in various parts; 

 no hounds visible, and then suddenly one or two 

 appear bounding over furze-bushes." 



Beckford continues: ^^Howmusical their tongues! 

 And as they get nearer to him, how the chorus 

 fills ! — Hark ! he is found — now where are all your 

 sorrows, and your cares, ye gloomy souls ! — or 

 where your pains and aches, complaining ones ! 

 one holloa has dispelled them all." 



Nimrod's gorse ^^now shakes more than ever. 

 Every stem is alive, and reminds us of a corn- 

 field waving in the wind. ^ Have at him there,' 

 holloas the Squire. Gorse still more alive, and 

 hounds leaping over each other's backs." 



Beckford's fox must get away first. We will 

 suppose Beckford to have sat listening, horn in 

 hand, making the following observations. '^What 

 a crash they make ! and echo repeats the sound. 

 The astonished traveller forsakes his road, lured 

 by its melody ; the ploughman stops his plough, 

 and every distant shepherd neglects his flock, 



95 



