38 HUNTING DIRECTORY. 



The Talbot. ! 



Veil'd in the shades of night, they ford the stream. 



Then, prowling far and near, whate'er they seize j 



Becomes their prey j nor flocks nor herds are safe, j 



Nor stalls protect the steer, nor strong-bart'd doors ( 



Secure the favourite horse. Soon as the morn j 



Reveals his wrongs, with ghastly visage wan ' 



The plunder'd owner stands, and from his lips 



A thousand thronging curses burst their way : i 



He calls his stout allies, and in a line { 



His faithful hound he leads, then with a voice j 



That utters loud his rage, attentive cheers : 



Soon the sagacious brute, his curling tail i 



Flourish'd in air, low bending plies around I 



His busy nose, the steaming vapour snufFs i 



Inquisitive, nor leaves one turf untried, ' 



Till, conscious of the recent stains, his heart 



Beats quick ! bis snuffling nose, his active tail, \ 



Attest his joy ; then with deep opening mouth. 



That makes the welkin tremble, he proclaims \ 



Th' audacious felon ; foot by foot he marks j 



His winding way, while all the listening crowd j 



Applaud his reasonings. O'er the watery ford, I 



Dry sandy heaths, and stony barren hills. 



O'er beaten paths, with men and beasts distain'd, ' 



Unerring he pursues ; till at the cot i 



Arriv'd, and seizing by his guilty throat \ 



The caitiff vile, redeems the captive prey ; ( 



So exquisitely delicate his sense !" 



i 



The chieftains and great men who resided on or near j 



the borders of the two kingdoms some centuries ago, ! 



encouraged, rather than repressed, the depredations j 



which were here committed ; and in which, indeed, j 



themselves occasionally joined. « 



Admitting, therefore, that the Talbot was the source j 



whence have sprung all our present varieties of the hound | 



