Victorious William to more decent rules Subdued our Saxon fathers, taught to speak The proper dialect, with horn and voice To cheer the busy hound, whose well-known cry His listening peers approve with joint acclaim. From him successive huntsmen learn'd to join In bloody social leagues, the multitude Dispersed to size, to sort their various tribes, To rear, feed, hunt, and discipline the pack. Hail, happy Britain! highly-favour'd isle, And Heaven's peculiar care! to thee 'tis given To train the sprightly steed, more fleet than those Begot by winds, or the celestial breed
That bore the great Pelides through the press Of heroes arm'd, and broke their crowded ranks; Which, proudly neighing, with the sun begins Cheerful his course; and, ere his beams decline, Has measured half thy surface unfatigued. In thee alone, fair land of liberty!
Is bred the perfect hound, in scent and speed As yet unrivall'd, while in other climes Their virtue fails, a weak degenerate race. In vain malignant steams, and winter fogs Load the dull air, and hover round our coasts; The huntsman, ever gay, robust, and bold, Defies the noxious vapour, and confides In this delightful exercise, to raise
His drooping head, and cheer his heart with joy. Ye vigorous youths, by smiling fortune bless'd With large demesnes, hereditary wealth, Heap'd copious by your wise forefathers' care, Hear and attend! while I the means reveal
To enjoy those pleasures, for the weak too strong, Too costly for the poor; to rein the steed
Swift-stretching o'er the plain, to cheer the pack Opening in concerts of harmonious joy,
But breathing death. What though the gripe severe Of brazen-fisted Time, and slow disease
Creeping through every vein, and nerve unstrung, Afflict my shatter'd frame, undaunted still, Fix'd as a mountain ash, that braves the bolts Of angry Jove; though blasted, yet unfallen; Still can my soul in Fancy's mirror view Deeds glorious once, recall the joyous scene In all its splendours deck'd, o'er the full bowl Recount my triumphs pass'd, urge others on With hand and voice, and point the winding way: Pleased with that social sweet garrulity, The poor disbanded veteran's sole delight!
First let the kennel be the huntsman's care, Upon some little eminence erect,
And fronting to the ruddy dawn; its courts On either hand wide opening to receive The sun's all-cheering beams, when mild he shines, And gilds the mountain tops. For much the pack, Roused from their dark alcoves, delight to stretch And bask in his invigorating ray :
Warn'd by the streaming light, and merry lark, Forth rush the jolly clan; with tuneful throats They carol loud, and, in grand chorus join'd, Salute the new-born day. For not alone The vegetable world, but men and brutes Own his reviving influence, and joy
At his approach. Fountain of light! if chance Some envious cloud veil thy refulgent brow, In vain the Muse's aid; untouch'd, unstrung, Lies my mute harp, and thy desponding bard Sits darkly musing o'er the unfinish'd lay.
Let no Corinthian pillars prop the dome, A vain expense, on charitable deeds
Better disposed, to clothe the tatter'd wretch Who shrinks beneath the blast, to feed the poor Pinch'd with afflictive want: for use, not state, Gracefully plain, let each apartment rise. O'er all let cleanliness preside, no scraps Bestrew the pavement, and no half-pick'd bones, To kindle fierce debate, or to disgust
That nicer sense, on which the sportsman's hope And all his future triumphs must depend. Soon as the growling pack with eager joy Have lapp'd their smoking viauds, morn or eve, From the full cistern lead the ductile streams, To wash thy court well paved, nor spare thy pains, For much to health will cleanliness avail.
Seek'st thou for hounds to climb the rocky steep, And brush the entangled covert, whose nice scent O'er greasy fallows and frequented roads Can pick the dubious way? Banish far off Each noisome stench, let no offensive smell Invade thy wide enclosure, but admit The nitrous air and purifying breeze.
Water and shade no less demand thy care : In a large square the adjacent field enclose, There plant in equal ranks the spreading elm, Or fragrant lime; most happy thy design, If, at the bottom of thy spacious court, A large canal, fed by the crystal brook, From its transparent bosom shall reflect Downward thy structure and inverted grove. Here, when the sun's too potent gleams annoy The crowded kennel, and the drooping pack, Restless and faint, loll their unmoisten'd tongues,
And drop their feeble tails; to cooler shades Lead forth the panting tribe; soon shalt thou find The cordial breeze their fainting hearts revive : Tumultuous soon they plunge into the stream, There lave their reeking sides, with greedy joy Gulp down the flying wave, this way and that From shore to shore they swim, while clamour loud And wild uproar torments the troubled flood: Then on the sunny bank they roll and stretch Their dripping limbs, or else in wanton rings Coursing around, pursuing and pursued, The merry multitude disporting play.
But here with watchful and observant eye Attend their frolics, which too often end In bloody broils and death. High o'er thy head Wave thy resounding whip, and with a voice Fierce-menacing o'errule the stern debate, And quench their kindling rage; for oft, in sport Begun, combat ensues; growling they snarl, Then, on their haunches rear'd, rampant they seize Each other's throats, with teeth, and claws, in gore Besmear'd, they wound, they tear, till on the
Panting, half dead the conquer'd champion lies: Then sudden all the base ignoble crowd Loud-clamouring seize the helpless worried wretch, And, thirsting for his blood, drag different ways His mangled carcass on the ensanguined plain. O breasts of pity void! to oppress the weak, To point your vengeance at the friendless head, And with one mutual cry insult the fallen! Emblem too just of man's degenerate race. Others apart, by native instinct led,
Knowing instructor! 'mong the ranker grass
Cull each salubrious plant, with bitter juice Concoctive stored, and potent to allay
Each vicious ferment. Thus the hand divine Of Providence, beueficent and kind
To all his creatures, for the brutes prescribes A ready remedy, and is himself
Their great physician. Now grown stiff with age, And many a painful chase, the wise old hound, Regardless of the frolic pack, attends
His master's side, or slumbers at his ease Beneath the bending shade: there many a ring Runs o'er in dreams; now on the doubtful foil Puzzles perplex'd, or doubles intricate Cautious unfolds; then, wing'd with all his speed, Bounds o'er the lawn to seize his panting prey, And in imperfect whimpering speaks his joy.
A different hound for every different chase Select with judgment; nor the timorous hare O'ermatch'd destroy, but leave that vile offence To the mean, murderous, coursing crew, intent On blood and spoil. O blast their hopes, just Heaven! And all their painful drudgeries repay
With disappointment and severe remorse. But husband thou thy pleasures, and give scope To all her subtle play: by nature led,
A thousand shifts she tries; to unravel these The industrious beagle twists his waving tail; Through all her labyrinths pursues, and rings Her doleful knell. See there with countenance blithe, And with a courtly grin, the fawning hound Salutes thee cowering, his wide-opening nose Upward he curls, and his large sloe-black eyes Melt in soft blandishments, and humble joy; His glossy skin, or yellow-pied, or blue,
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