THE FOX. 



249 



meaning of so much expense, parade, and osten- 

 tation ; and the rustics of the campagna could not 

 believe the testimony of their own eyes, when they 

 beheld men in scarlet dresses, first searching for 

 a paltry fox, and then pursuing it over their rough 

 and swampy country, at the risk of limb and life. 



A few of these simple rustics imagining, that 

 there must be something very agreeable to English- 

 men, in the flesh of a fox, — or valuable to them, in 

 its fur; bethought themselves, that the present 

 opportunity was a good one, to put a little money 

 into their own pockets, and to benefit the neigh- 

 bourhood, by thinning the noxious vermin. 



Wherefore, without the aid of hounds and horses, 

 these poor men soon captured a brace of foxes, 

 which they carried to the new hunting establish- 

 ment, and claimed a small reward, for their well- 

 timed services. Let us fancy for a moment, the 

 dismal faces of the master and his huntsman, when 

 the two foxes were taken dead out of the bag, and 

 placed at their feet. They raved and swore in 

 such a manner, that the poor countrymen, without 

 waiting for the expected reward, — took to their 

 heels, as fast as they could go, and deemed them- 

 selves fortunate, in being able to escape with a 

 sound skin. 



Ever since this scene occurred, I can well con- 



