HARE. 
273- 
winter, when vegetables were not to be got, I min- 
gled this mess of bread with shreds of carrot, adding 
to it the rind of apples cut extremely thin ; for, 
though they are fond of the paring, the apple itself 
disgusts them. These, however, not being a suffi- 
cient substitute for the juice of summer herbs, they 
must at this time be supplied with water ; but so 
placed that they cannot overset it into their beds. 
I must not omit that occasionally they are much 
pleased with twigs of hawthorn, and of the common 
briar, eating even the very wood when it is of con- 
siderable thickness.” 
It appears from at memorandum found among 
Mr. Cowper’s papers, that his last hare died in 
March 178b, aged eleven years eleven months. 
She died of mere old age, and apparently without 
pain. 
If I survive thee I will dig thy grave 3 
Arid when I place thee in it, sighing, say, 
I knew at least one hare that had a friend. 
The Task, 
VOL. I. 
T 
