DORSET AND DEVON 101 



A quickset hedge here intercepts the view ; 



The rapid hounds, too eager to pursue, 



O'errun the scent, and dashing heedless on 



Come to a fault at last near Bvoadwood town. 



Stephen, the while his master makes a cast, 



Tries up the lane, to see if there he past. 



When " Blowsy hits it — Blowsy's got the scent ! 



Hark, hark to Blowsy ! — that's the way he went ! " 



Now the full pack deep op'ning once again 



Rush headlong on, and madly scour the 23lain : 



The horsemen follow at the stretch. " Now where. 



Where are the tail-hounds now ? " demands the Squire : 



" See every dog that came with me from home 



Within the compass of my dining room ! " 



Now on our left the gate a man unlocks — • 

 " Vour zarvant, Zur." — " Well, have you seen the fox ? " 

 " Zeed wn ? Yeaz, fatli (1), us zeed un t'other night : 

 He put old Deame in a cruul vright (2), 

 Her thort (3) her geeze " — The Squire his chatt'ring stops, 

 With " Stephen, lay your whip about his chops : 

 I wish I had some pudding, or a bung. 

 Or anything, to stop that blockhead's tongue ! 

 Seen him last night, you stupid fool ! — and yet 

 I might have known what answer I should get." 

 Hodge sneaked away. Each urges on his horse, 

 Until a set of bars arrests their course : 

 Out comes the saw (4), down goes the upper bar, 

 And Stephen first rides over upon Czar : 

 The Squire goes next : then, seated upon Paul, 

 A neighbouring Parson (5) leaps, and gets a fall — 

 For, catching 'tween two bars with both his toes, 

 Paul blunders, and comes down upon his nose : 

 Up spring again directly man and horse. 

 Rejoiced to find themselves no whit the worse ; 

 And, joining partnership, once more proceed, 

 To follow those before them, at full speed. 



Next Bouchier Marshall, on his gallant grey. 

 Rides at the leap and bears a bar away. 

 Then forward springs amain, whilst those behind 

 Vote him their thanks for his assistance kind, 



1 Anglice — seen him ? yes, faith. 



2 Anglice — Dame in a cruel fright. 

 8 Anglice — thought. 



4 " Discretion is the better part of valour." 



5 The author here records his own mishap ; he seems to have been more at 

 home on Pegasus than on Paul. 



