Invade thy wide enclosure, but admit The nitrous air and purifying breeze.
Water and shade no less demand thy care: In a large square th' 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 ground, 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 th' ensanguin'd plain. O breasts of pity void! t' oppress the weak, To point your vengeance at the friendless head, And with one mutual cry insult the fall'n! 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 stor'd, and potent to allay
Each vicious ferment. Thus the hand divine Of Providence, beneficent 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 whimperings 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
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; t' unravel these Th' industrious beagle twists his waving tail, Through all her labyrinths pursues, and rings Her doleful knell.
See there with countenance
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,
In lights or shades by Nature's pencil drawn, Reflects the various tints; his ears and legs Fleckt here and there, in gay enamell'd pride, Rival the speckled pard; his rush-grown tail O'er his broad back bends in an ample arch; On shoulders clean, upright and firm he stands; His round cat foot, strait hams, and wide-spread
And his low-dropping chest, confess his speed, His strength, his wind, or on the steepy hill, Or far-extended plain; in every part
So well proportion'd, that the nicer skill Of Phidias himself can't blame thy choice. Of such compose thy pack. But here a mean
Observe, nor the large hound prefer, of size Gigantic; he in the thick-woven covert Painfully tugs, or in the thorny brake
Torn and embarrass'd bleeds: But if too small, The pigmy brood in every furrow swims; Moil'd in the clogging clay, panting they lag Behind inglorious; or else shivering creep Benumb'd and faint beneath the sheltering thorn. For hounds of middle size, active and strong, Will better answer all thy various ends, And crown thy pleasing labours with success. As some brave captain, curious and exact, By his fix'd standard forms in equal ranks His gay battalion, as one man they move Step after step, their size the same, their arms, Far-gleaming, dart the same united blaze: Reviewing generals his merit own; How regular! how just! And all his cares Are well repaid, if mighty George approve. So model thou thy pack, if honour touch
Thy generous soul, and the world's just applause. But above all take heed, nor mix thy hounds Of different kinds; discordant sounds shall grate Thy ears offended, and a lagging line
Of babbling curs disgrace thy broken pack. But if the amphibious otter be thy chase, Or stately stag, that o'er the woodland reigns; Or if the harmonious thunder of the field Delight thy ravish'd ears; the deep-flew'd hound, Breed up with care, strong, heavy, slow, but sure; Whose ears down-hanging from his thick round head Shall sweep the morning dew, whose clanging voice
Awake the mountain Echo in her cell,
And shake the forests: The bold Talbot kind Of these the prime; as white as Alpine snows; And great their use of old. Upon the banks Of Tweed, slow winding through the vale, the seat Of war and rapine once, ere Britons knew The sweets of peace, or Anna's dread commands To lasting leagues the haughty rivals aw'd, There dwelt a pilfering race; well train'd and skill'd In all the mysteries of theft, the spoil
Their only substance, feuds and war their sport: Not more expert in every fraudful art The arch felon * was of old, who by the tail Drew back his lowing prize: in vain his wiles, In vain the shelter of the covering rock, In vain the sooty cloud, and ruddy flames That issued from his mouth; for soon he paid His forfeit life: a debt how justly due To wrong'd Alcides, and avenging Heaven! Veil'd in the shades of night they ford the stream, Then prowling far and near, whate'er they seize Becomes their prey: nor flocks nor herds are safe, Nor stalls protect the steer, nor strong-barr'd doors Secure the favourite horse. Soon as the morn Reveals his wrongs, with ghastly visage wan The plunder'd owner stands, and from his lips A thousand thronging curses burst their way: He calls his stout allies, and in a line
His faithful hound he leads, then with a voice That utters loud his rage, attentive cheers:
* Cacus, VIRG. Æn, lib. viii.
« PreviousContinue » |