THE FOX. 



243 



shall swarm through this Province, as lice for- 

 merly swarmed through the land of Egypt. Then 

 will our woods, which in many parts, already feel 

 the dire effects of smoke, perish outright ; and 

 every fox, with every fox's wife and cubs, will quit 

 their earths for good and all, and start in quest of 

 other quarters. 



Here I take my leave of Keynard, so far as 

 regards his life and manners : — but, I have not 

 done with him. The pleasing part of his adven- 

 tures has yet to come. 



I now wish my reader to consider him in the 

 shape of a Janus-bifrons ; — that is, an animal with 

 two faces ; — one of which, will be in perpetual 

 menace, to put farmers and henwives on their 

 guard ; — whilst the other will exhibit smiles and 

 animation, to assure our lovers of the chase, that 

 he will always be ready, during the proper season, 

 to afford them facilities for horsemanship; and 

 many a long run of manly and healthy exercise, — 

 not to be found with so much splendour, and 

 so many advantages, in any other portion of the 

 globe. 



Thus may Great Britain boast, that for many 

 good and weighty reasons, she cherishes an appa- 

 rently insignificant little quadruped, which, at the 

 same time, that it will worry all her unprotected 



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