148 SHOOTING : 



Part round, part in a wood, with men to beat 



With poles each rood, (no Spaniel's busy feet,) 



A dozen men, each furnish'd with two guns, 



Each gun two barrels, range ; these mother's sons 



Ne'er load themselves, but as they fire they hand 



The pieces to their men, who ever stand 



Close to their heels, in fact do ev'ry thing 



Pertaining to the sport, excepting bring 



The guns up to the shoulder; whose delight, 



While sitting o'er their bottle on a night, 



After such day, can only be to boast 



Among themselves, who chanc'd to kill the most, 



To make their vaunts the hundreds they have slain, 



And idly hope, and wonder if again 



They e'er shall do the like : ignobly mean 



In th' eyes of genuine Sportsmen, such must seem : 



All who would emulate the latter name, 



Must think the slaughter, howe'er great, is tame. 



If shooting only, were the sole desire 



One had to follow sport, who would require 



