210

215

220

But, this neglected, foon expect a change, A difmal change, confufion, frenzy death, Or in fome dark recefs the fenfelefs brute Sits fadly pining: deep melancholy, And black defpair, upon his clouded brow Hang lowering; from his half-opening jaws The clammy venom, and infectious froth, Diftilling fall; and from his lungs inflam'd, Malignant vapours taint the ambient air, Breathing perdition: his dim eyes are glaz'd, He droops his penfive head, his trembling limbs No more fupport his weight; abject he lies, Dumb, fpiritlefs benumb d; till death at laft Gracious attends, and kind'y brings relief. Or if outrageous grown, behold alas! A yet more dreadful fcene; his glaring eyes Redden with fury, like fome angry boar Churning he foams; and on his back erect His pointed briftles rife; his tail incurv'd He drops, and with harsh broken howlings rends The poifon-tainted air, with rough hoarfe voice Inceffant bays; and fnuffs th' infectious breeze; This way and that he ftares a,haft, and starts At his own fhade: jealous, as if he deem'd The world his foes. If haply towards the ftream He caft his roving eye, cold horror chills His foul; averfe he flies, trembling, appall'd. Now frantic to the kennel's utmost verge Raving he runs, and deals destruction round. 235 The pack fly diverfe; for whate'er he meets Vengeful he bites, and every bite is death.

225

230

If now perchance through the weak fence efcap'd.

Far up the wind he roves, with open mouth
Inhales the cooling breeze; nor man, nor beast,
He fpares implacable. The hunter-horse,
Once kind affociate of his fylvan toils,
(Who haply now without the kennel's mound
Crops the rank mead, and listening hears with joy
The chearing ery, that morn and eve falutes 245
His raptur'd fenfe) a wretched victim falls.
Unhappy quadruped! no more, alas!
Shail thy fond mafter with his voice applaud
Thy gentleness, thy fpeed; or with his hand
Stroke thy foft dappled fides, as he each day 250
Vifits thy ftall, well pleas'd; no more fhalt thou
With fprightly neighings, to the winding horn,
And the loud opening p-ck in concert join'd,
Glad his proud heart. For oh! the fecret wound
Rankling inflames, he hires the ground, and dies!
Hence to the village with pernicious hatte
Baleful he bends his courfe: the village flies
Alarm'd; the tender mother in her arms
Hugs clofe the trembling babe: the doors are
barr'd,

i

260

And flying curs by native inftinet taught
Shun the contagious bane; the ruftic bands
Hurry to arms, the rude militia feize
Whate'er at hand they find; clubs, forks, or guns,
From every quarter charge the furious foe,
In wild diforder, and uncouth array:

265

With heavy heart that hofpital of woe;

Where horror ftalks at large infariate Death 270
Sits prowling o'er his prey: each Lour prefents
A different 'cene of ruin and diftrefs.

How busy art thon, Fate! and how fevere
Thy pointed wrath! the dying and the dead
Promifcuous lie; o'er thefe the living fight 275
In one eternal broil; not conscious why,
Nor yet with whom. So drunkards, in their cups,
Spare not their friends, while fenfeleis fquabble
reigns.

Huntfman! it much behoves thee to avoid
The perilous debate! Ah! roufe up all 280
Thy vigilance, and tread the treacherous ground
With careful step. Thy fires unquench'd preferve,
As crft the veftal flames; the pointed freel
In the hot embers hide; and if furpriz d
Thou feel'ft the deadly bite, quick urge it home
Into the recent fore, and cauterize

286 The wound; spare not thy flesh, nor dread th’ event:

Vulcan shail fave when Æfculapins fails.

Here should the knowing Mufe recount the

300

Sing, philofophic Mufe, the dire effea. Of this contagious bite on hapless man. The ruftic fwains, by long tradition taught Of leaches old, as foon as they perceive The bite imprefs'd, to the fea-coaft repair. Plung'd in the briny flood, th unhappy youth Now journeys home fecure; but foon fhall wif The feas as yet had cover'd him beneath The foaming furge, full many a fathom deep. A fate more' difmal, and fuperior ills Hang o'er his head devoted. When the moon, Ciofing her monthly round, returns again To glad the night; or when full-orb d the fhines High in the vault of heaven; the lurki g peft Begins the dire affault. The poisonous foain Through the deep wound inftill'd with hoftile

310

315

320

Invades th' arterial fluid, whofe red waves
Tempestuous heave, and, their cohesion broke,
Fermenting boil; inteftine war enfues,
And order to confufion turns embro:l'd.
Now the diftended veffels fcarce contain
The wild uproar, but prefs each weaker part
Unable to refift: the teader brain
And ftomach fuffer most; convulfions fhake
His trembling nerves, and wandering pungent
pains

Pinch fore the fleepiefs wretch; his fluttering puffe

Oft intermits; penfive, and fad, he mourns
His cruel fate, and to his weeping friends

325

Laments

The bufy-fpreading pack, that fearlefs plunge
Into the flood, and cross the rapid ftream.
Bid rocks, and caves, and each refounding fhore,
Proclaim your bold defiance; loudly raife
Each cheering voice, till distant hills repeat
On the foft fand
The triumphs of the vale.
See there his feal imprefs'd! and on that bank
Behold the glittering spoils, half-eaten fish, 395
Scales, fins, and bones, the leaving of his
feart.

335

340

See there diftrefs'd he lies! parch'd up with thirst, But dares not drink. Till now at laft his foul Trembling escapes, her noisome dungeon leaves, And to fome purer region wings away.

345

One labour yet remaius, celeftial Maid! Another element demands thy song. No more o'er craggy steep, through coverts thick With pointed thorn, and briars intricate, Urge on with horn and voice the painful pack: But fkim with wanton wing th' irriguous vale, Where winding ftreams amid the flowery meads Perpetual glide along; and undermine The cavern'd banks, by the tenacious roots Of hoary winows arch'd; gloomy retreat Of the bright fçaly kind; where they at will 355 On the green watery weed their pasture graze, Suck the moift foil, or flumber at their ease, Rock'd by the restless brook, that draws aflope Its humid train, and laves their dark abodes. Where rages not oppreffion? Where, alas! 360 Is innocence fecure? Rapine and spoil

Haunt ev'n the loweft deeps; feas have their fharks,

Rivers and ponds inclofe the ravenous pike;
He in his turn becomes a prey; on him
Th' amphibious otter feafts. Juft is his fate 365
Deferv'd: but tyrants know no bounds;
Spears,

nor

370

375

That brittle on his back, defend the perch.
From his wide greedy jaws; nor buruifh'd mail
The yellow carp, nor all his arts can fave
Th' infinuating eel, that hides his head
Beneath the flimy mud; nor yet escapes
The crimfon-spotted trout, the river's pride,
And beauty of the ftream. Without remorse,
This midnight pillager, ranging around,
Infatiate fwallows all. The owner mourns
Th' unpeopled rivulet, and gladly hears
The huntfman's early call, and hears with joy
The jovial crew, that march upon its banks
In gay parade, with bearded lances arm'd.
The fubtle fpoiler of the beaver kind,
Far off perhaps, where ancient alders fhade
The deep ftill pool; within fome hollow trunk
Contrives his wicker couch; whence he furveys
His long purlicu, lord of the ftream and all
The finny hoals his own. But you, brave
youths,

Difpute the felon's claim; try every root,
And every reedy bank; encourage all

380

385

Ah! on that yielding fag-bed, fee once more O'er yon dank rufhy marsh The fly goole footed prowler bends his course, And feeks the diftant fhallows. Huntsman, bring

406

Thy eager pack, and trail him to his couch Hark! the loud peal begins, the clamorous joy, The gallant chiding, loads the trembling air.

Ye Naiads fair, who o'er thefe floods prefide, Raife up your dripping heads above the wave, 40! And hear our melody. Th' harmonious notes Float with the ftream; and every winding creek And hollow rock, that o'er the dimpling flood Nods pendant; ftill improve from thore to shore Our fweet reiterated joys. What shouts! What clamour loud! What gay heart-chearin founds

41

Urge through the breathing brafs their mazy way
Nor quires of Tritons glad with fprightlier frait
The dancing illows! When proud Neptune ride
In triumph o'er the steep. How greedily
They fnuff the fifhy fteam, that to each blade
Rank-fcenting clings! See how the morning

dews

41

They fweep, that from their feet befprinklin

drop

Difper'd, and leave a track oblique behind.
Now on firm land they range, then in the flood
They plunge tumultuous, or through reedy pool
Rustling they work their way: no hole escapes
Their curious search. With quick fenfation nov
The fuming vapour ftings; flutter their hearts,
And joy redoubled bursts from every mouth 41
In louder fymphonies. Yen hollow trunk,
That with its hoary head incurv'd falutes
The palling wave, must be the tyrant's fort,
And dread abode. How thefe impatient climb,
While others at the root inceffant bay!
They put him down. See! there he dives along
Th' afcending bubbles mark his gloomy way.
Quick fix the nets, and cut off his retreat
Into the sheltering deeps. Ah! there he vents
The pack plunge headlong, and protended fpear.
Menace deftruction: while the troubled furge
Indignant foams, and all the fcaly kind,
Affrighted. hide their heads. Wild tumult reign
And loud uproar. Ah! there once more he vents
See, that bold hound has seiz’d him; down the
fink.

43

Of high renown, while all his listening guests
With eager joy receiv'd the pleafing tale.

O thou who late on Vaga's flowery banks 5
Slumbering fecure, with Stirom† well bedew 'd,
Falacious cfk, in facred dreams were taught
By ancient feers, and Merlin prophet old,
To raife ignoble themes with strains fublime,
Be thou my guide; while I thy track pursue
With wing unequal, through the wide expanfe
Adventurous range, and emulate thy flights.
In that rich vale I, where with Dobunian §

fields

1

20

Cornavian borders meet, far fam'd of old
For Montfort's Shaplefs fate, undaunted earl;
Where from her fruitful urn Avona pours
Her kindly torrent on the thirty glebe,
And pillages the hills t'enrich the plains;
On whofe luxuriant banks flowers of all hues
Start up spontaneous, and the teeming foil
With hafly fhoots prevents its owner's prayer:
The pamper'd wanton flect, of the fharp axe
Regardlefs, that o'er his devoted head
Hangs menacing, crops his delicious bane,
Nor knows the price is life; with envious eye 25
His labouring yoke-fellow beholds his plight,
And deems him bleft, while on his languid neck
In folemn floth he tugs the lingering plough.
So blind are mortals, of each other's flate
Mif-judging, felf-deceiv'd. Here as fupreme
Stern Hobinol in rural plenty reigns
O'er wide-extended fields, his large domain.
Th' obfequious villagers, with looks fubmifs
Obfervant of his eye, or when with feed
T'impregnate Earth's fat womb, or when to
bring

30

35

40

With clamorous joy the bearded harvest home.
Here, when the diftant fun lengthens the nights,
When the keen frofts the fhivering farmer warn
To broach his mellow cafk, and frequent blafts
Infruct the crackling billets how to blaze,
In his warm wicker chair, whofe pliant twigs
In ciofe embraces join'd, with fpacious arch
Vault this thick-woven roof, the blated churl
Loiters in ftate each arm reclin'd is prop'd
With yielding pillows of the fofteft down,
In mind compos'd, from fhort coeval tube
He fucks the vapours bland, thick curling clouds
Of fmoke around his reeking temples play;
Joyous he fits, and impotent of thought
Puffs away care and forrow from his heart.
How vain the pomp of kings! Look down, ye

great,

45

50

To fhare a mother's joy, but left the babe
To his paternal care. An orphan niece
Near the fame time his dying brother fent,
To claim his kind support The helplefs pair 60
In the fame cradle flept, nur 'd up with care
By the fame tender hand, on the fame breafts
Alternate hung with joy; till reason dawn'd,
And a new light broke out by flow degrees:
Then on the floor the pretty wantons play'd, 65
Gladding the farmer's heat with growing hopes,
And pleasures erft unfelt. Whene'er with cares
Oppreis'd, when wearied, or alone he doz'd,
Their harmless prattle ceth'd his troubled foul.
Say, Hobbinol, what extafies of joy
Thrill'd through thy veins, when climbing for a
kifs

With little palms they strok'd thy grizly beard, Or round thy wicker whirl'd their rattling cars? Thus from their earlief days bred up, and train'd, To mutual fondnefs, with their ftature grew, 75 The thriving paffion. What love can decay That roots fo deep Now ripening manhood curl'd On the gay ftripling's chin; her panting breasts, And trembling blushes glowing on her cheeks, Her fecret with betray'd. She at each mart 80 All eyes attracted; but her faithful fhade, Young Hobbinol, ne'er wander'd from her fide. A frown from him dash'd every rival's hopes. For he, like Peleus' fon, was prone to rage, Inexorable, fwift like him of foot

85

With eafe could overtake his daftard foe, Nor fpar'd the fuppliant wretch. And now ap proach'd

Thofe merry days, when all the nymphs and (wains

In folemn feftiva's and rural sports,
Pay their glad homage to the blooming fpring, 90
Young Hobbinol by joint confent is rais'd
T'imperial dignity, and in his hand

Bright Ganderetta tripp'd the jovial queen
Of Maia's gaudy month, profufe of Rowers.
From each enamel'd mead th' attendant nymphs
Loaded with odorous fpoils, from these select
Fach flower of gorgeous dye, and garlands weave
Of party-colour'd tweets; each bufy hand
Adorns the jocund queen: in her toofe hair, Ice
That to the winds in wanton ringlets plays,
The tufted Cow flips breathe their faint perfumes.
On er refulgent brow, as crystal clear,
As Parian marble fmooth, Narciffus hangs
Unhappy flower! Panfics of various hue,
His drooping head, and views his image there,
Iris, and Hyacinth, and Afphodel,
To deck the nymph, their richest liveries wear,
And lavish all their pride. Not F ora's self
More lovely smiles, when to the dawning year
Her opening bofom heavenly fragrance breathes.

See on yon verdant lawn the gathering crowd Thickens amain; the buxom nymphs advance Ufher'd by jolly clowns: diftinctions ceafe Loft in the common joy, and the bold flave Leans on his wealthy mafter, unreprov'd: 115

Round his fond mother's neck the fmiling babe

Exulting

125

Erulting clings; hard by decrepit age,
Prop'd on his ftaff with anxious thought revolves
His pleafures paft, and cafts his grave remarks
Among the heedless throng. The vigorous youth
Strips for the combat, hopeful to fubdue
The fair-one's long difdain, by valour now
Glad to convince her coy erroneous heart,
And prove his merit equal to her charms.
Soft pity pleads his caufe; blufhing the views
His brawny limbs, and his undaunted eye,
That looks a proud defiance on his foes.
Refolv'd and obftinately firm he stands;
Danger nor death he fears, while the rich prize
Is victory and love. On the large bough
Of a thick fpreading elm Twangdillo fits:
One leg on Ifther's banks the hardy swain
Left undifmay'd, Bellona's lightning scorch'd
His manly visage, but in pity left

One eye fecure. He many a painful bruise
Intrepid felt, and many a gaping wound,

135

For brown Kate's fake, and for his country's weal:

Yet fill the merry bard without regret
Bears his own ills, and with his founding fhell, 140
And comic phyz, relieves his drooping friends.
Hark, from aloft his tortur'd cat-gut fqueals,
He tickles every ftring, to every note
He bends his pliant neck, his fingle eye
Twinkles with joy, his active stump beats time:
Let but this fubtle artist foftly touch
The trembling chords, the faint expiring swain
Trembles no lefs, and the fond yielding maid
Is tweedled into love. See with what pomp
The gaudy bands advance in trim array!
Love beats in every vein, from every eye
Darts his contagious flames. They frisk, they
bound

150

160

Now to brifk airs, and to the fpeaking strings:
Attentive, in midway the fexcs meet;
Joyous their adverse fronts they close, and prefs
To fria embrace, as refolute to force
And ftorm a paffage to each other's heart:
Till by the varying notes forewarn'd back they
Recoil difparted each with longing eyes
Parfues his mate retiring, till again
The blended fexes mix; then hand in hand
Faft lock'd, around they fly, or nimbly wheel
In mazes intricate. The jocund troop,
Pleas'd with their grateful toil, inceffant shake
Their uncouth brawny limbs, and knock their heels
Sonorous; down each brow the trickling balm
la torrents flows, exhaling fweets refresh

The gazing crowd, and heavenly fragrance fills
The circuit wide. So danc'd in days of yore,
When Orpheus play'd a leffon to the brutes, 170
The liftening favages; the fpeckled pard
Dandied the kid, and with the bounding roe
The lion gambol'd. But what heavenly Muse
With equal lays shall Ganderetta fing,
When goddefs-like the skims the verdant plain,
Gracefully gliding? Every ravish'd eye
The nymph attracts, and every heart the wounds.
The moft, tranfported Hobbinol! Lo, now,
Now to thy opening arma fhe fkuds along,
With yielding blushes glowing on her shocks;
VUL. V.

Boafts his paft deeds, and with redoubled ftrokes Marthals the crowd, and forms the circle wide. Stern arbiter! like fome huge rock he ftands, That breaks th' incumbent waves; they throug ing prefs

In troops confus'd, and rear their foaming heads Each above each, but from fuperior force Shrinking repell'd, compofe of relieft view A liquid theatre. With hands uplift, And voice Stentorian, he proclaims aloud Each rural prize. "To him whofe active foot "Foils his bold foe, and rivets him to earth, "This pair of gloves, by curious virgin hands “Embroider'd, seam'd with filk, and fring'd with gold.

"To him, who beft the stubborn hilts can wield, "And bloody marks of his difpleasure leave 220 "On his opponent's head, this beaver white "With filver edging grac'd, and fearlet plume. "Ye taper maidens! whofe impetuous speed "Outflies the roe, nor bends the tender grafs, "See here this prize, this rich lac'd fmock behold, 225

"White as your bofoms, as your kiffes foft. "Bleft nymph! whom bounteous 'Heaven's peculiar grace

"Allots this pompous veft, and worthy deems "To win a virgin, and to wear a bride "

The gifts refulgent dazzle all the crowd, 230 In fpeechlefs admiration fix'd, unmov'd. Ev'n he who now each glorious palm difplays, In fullen filence views his batter'd limbs, And fighs his vigour fpent. Not fo appall'd Young Paftorel, for active firength renown'd: Him Ida bore, a mountain fhepherdefs; On the bleak woald the new-born infant lay, Expos'd to winter fuows, and northern blaits

Severe.