3i8 The Poets Beasts. 



From him successive huntsmen learned to join 

 In bloody social leagues, the multitudes 

 Dispersed, to size, to sort, train various tribes 

 To rear, feed, hunt, and discipline the pack. 

 Hail, happy Britain ! highly favoured isle, 

 And Heaven's peculiar care ! " 



He then describes in detail the arrangements for the kennel, 

 insisting upon the necessity for perpetual watchfulness, 

 especially when the hounds are at food or at play. 



" Which too often ends 

 In bloody broils and death, 



... for oft in sport 

 Begun, combat ensues ; growling they snarl, 

 Then on tlieir haunches reared, rampant they seize 

 Each others' throats ; with teeth and claws in gore 

 Besmeared, they wound, they tear, till on the ground 

 Panting, half-dead, the conquered champion lies. 

 Then sudden all the base ignoble crowd 

 Loud clam'ring seize the helpless, worried wretch, 

 And thirsting for his blood, drag diffrent ways 

 His mangled carcass o'er the ensanguined plain. 

 O breasts of pity void ! t'oppress the weak. 

 To point your vengeance at the friendless head, 

 And with one mutual cry insult the fall'n ; 

 Emblem too just of man's degenerate race." 



Directions are then given for the choice of hounds for the 

 different kinds of chase, pointing out the necessity for 

 selecting animals of medium size, and containing the 

 following description of the poet's " perfect " foxhound — 



" See there, with count'nance blithe, 

 And with a courtly grin, the fawning hound 

 Salutes thee cow'ring, his wide-op'ning nose 

 Upward he curls, and his large sloe-black eyes 

 Melt in soft blandishments and humble joy. 

 His glossy skin, or yellow pied, or blue, 

 In lights or shades by Nature's pencil drawn, 

 Reflects the various lints ; his ears and legs, 



