MELTON MOWBRAY 21 



What ! four of us only ? are these the survivors 



Of all that rode gaily from Ranksboro's ridge ? 

 I hear the faint splash of a few hardy divers, 



The rest are in hopeless research of a bridge ; 

 Vce virtis! the way of the world and the winners ! 



Do we ne'er ride away from a friend in distress ? 

 Alas ! we are anti-Samaritan sinners, 



And streaming past Stapleford, onward we press. 



XI 



Ah ! don't they mean mischief, the merciless ladies ? 



What fox can escape such implacable foes ? 

 Of the sex cruel slaughter for ever the trade is, 



Whether human or animal — Yonder he goes ! 

 Never more for the woodland ! his purpose has failed him, 



Though to gain the old shelter he gallantly tries ; 

 In vain the last double, for Jezebel's nailed him ; 



Whoo-Whoop ! in the open the veteran dies ! 



XII 



Yes, four of us only ! but is it a vision ? 



Dear lost ones, how come ye with mortals to mix ? 

 Methought that ye hunted the pastures Elysian, 



And between us there rolled the unjumpable Styx ! 

 Stay, stay but a moment ! the grass fields are fading, 



And heavy obscurity palsies my brain ; 

 Through what country, what ploughs and what sloughs am I 

 wading ? 



Alas ! 'tis the member for Boreham aerain ! 



XIII 



Oh glory of youth ! consolation of age ! 



Sublimest of ecstasies under the sun ! 

 Though the veteran may linger too long on the stage, 



Yet he'll drink a last toast to a fox-hunting run. 

 And oh ! young descendants of ancient top-sawyers ! 



By your lives to the world their example enforce ; 

 Whether landlords, or parsons, or statesmen, or lawyers, 



Ride straight, as they rode it from Ranksboro' Gorse. 



