But corn was housed, and beans were in the stack,
Now therefore issued forth the spotted pack,
With tails high mounted, ears hung low, and throats
With a whole gamut filled of heavenly notes,
For which, alas! my destiny severe,
Though ears she gave me two, gave me no ear.
The sun accomplishing his early march,

His lamp now planted on Heaven's topmost arch,
When, exercise and air my only aim,

And heedless whither, to that field I came,

26

31

Ere yet with ruthless joy the happy hound
Told hill and dale that Reynard's track was found,
Or with the high-raised horn's melodious clang 35
All Kilwick and all Dinglederry* rang.

Sheep grazed the field; some with soft bosom

pressed

The herb as soft, while nibbling strayed the rest;
Nor noise was heard but of the hasty brook,
Struggling, detained in many a petty nook.
All seemed so peaceful, that from them conveyed,
To me their peace by kind contagion spread.

40

But when the huntsman, with distended cheek, 'Gan make his instrument of music speak,

And from within the wood that crash was heard, 45 Though not a hound from whom it burst appeared, The sheep recumbent, and the sheep that grazed, All huddling into phalanx, stood and gazed, Admiring, terrified, the novel strain,

Then coursed the field around, and coursed it round again;

50

But recollecting, with a sudden thought, That flight in circles urged advanced them nought, * Two woods belonging to John Throckmorton, Esq.-(C.)

55

They gathered close around the old pit's brink,
And thought again-but knew not what to think.
The man to solitude accustomed long,
Perceives in every thing that lives a tongue;
Not animals alone, but shrubs and trees
Have speech for him, and understood with ease;
After long drought, when rains abundant fall,
He hears the herbs and flowers rejoicing all;
Knows what the freshness of their hue implies,
How glad they catch the largess* of the skies;
But, with precision nicer still, the mind
He scans of every locomotive kind;

60

Birds of all feather, beasts of every name,

65

That serve mankind, or shun them, wild or tame;

The looks and gestures of their griefs and fears
Have all articulation in his ears;

He spells them true by intuition's light,
And needs no glossary to set him right.

This truth premised was needful as a text,
To win due credence to what follows next.

70

75

Awhile they mused; surveying every face, Thou hadst supposed them of superior race; Their periwigs of wool and fears combined, Stamped on each countenance such marks of mind, That sage they seemed, as lawyers o'er a doubt, Which, puzzling long, at last they puzzle out; Or academic tutors, teaching youths, Sure ne'er to want them, mathematic truths; When thus a mutton statelier than the rest, A ram, the ewes and wethers, sad, addressed. "Friends! we have lived too long. I never heard

80

* Ed. 1794 has "largeness." The mistake stands corrected in Ed. 1798, vol. II. p. 235.

85

90

Sounds such as these, so worthy to be feared.
Could I believe, that winds for ages pent
In earth's dark womb have found at last a vent,
And from their prison-house below arise,
With all these hideous howlings to the skies,
I could be much composed, nor should appear,
For such a cause, to feel the slightest fear.
Yourselves have seen, what time the thunders rolled
All night, me resting quiet in the fold.
Or heard we that tremendous bray alone,
I could expound the melancholy tone;
Should deem it by our old companion made,
The ass; for he, we know, has lately strayed,
And being lost, perhaps, and wandering wide,
Might be supposed to clamour for a guide.
But ah! those dreadful yells what soul can hear,
That owns a carcass, and not quake for fear?
Demons produce them doubtless, brazen-clawed,
And fanged with brass the demons are abroad;
I hold it therefore wisest and most fit

That, life to save, we leap into the pit."

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100

Him answered then his loving mate and true, 105 But more discreet than he, a Cambrian ewe. "How! leap into the pit our life to save! To save our life leap all into the grave! For can we find it less? Contemplate first The depth, how awful! falling there, we burst: 110 Or should the brambles, interposed, our fall In part abate, that happiness were small; For with a race like theirs no chance I see Of peace or ease to creatures clad as we.

Meantime, noise kills not. Be it Dapple's bray, 115 Or be it not, or be it whose it may,

And rush those other sounds, that seem by tongues
Of demons uttered, from whatever lungs,
Sounds are but sounds, and till the cause appear,
We have at least commodious standing here.
Come fiend, come fury, giant, monster, blast
From earth or hell, we can but plunge at last."

120

While thus she spake, I fainter heard the peals, For Reynard, close attended at his heels By panting dog, tired man, and spattered horse, 125 Through mere good fortune, took a different course. The flock grew calm again, and I, the road Following, that led me to my own abode, Much wondered that the silly sheep had found Such cause of terror in an empty sound So sweet to huntsman, gentleman, and hound.

MORAL,

Beware of desperate steps. The darkest day,
Live till to-morrow, will have passed away.

130

BOADICEA.*

VOL. II.

AN ODE.

HEN the British warrior queen,
Bleeding from the Roman rods,
Sought, with an indignant mien,
Counsel of her country's gods,

* Poems, Ed. 1782, p. 354.

R

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15

Sage beneath the spreading oak
Sat the Druid, hoary chief;
Every burning word he spoke,
Full of rage and full of grief.

"Princess! if our aged eyes

Weep upon thy matchless wrongs,

'Tis because resentment ties

All the terrors of our tongues.

"Rome shall perish-write that word
In the blood that she has spilt;
Perish, hopeless and abhorred,
Deep in ruin as in guilt.

"Rome, for empire far renowned,

Tramples on a thousand states; Soon her pride shall kiss the groundHark! the Gaul is at her gates!

"Other Romans shall arise,

Heedless of a soldier's name;

Sounds, not arms, shall win the prize,

Harmony the path to fame.

"Then the progeny that springs

From the forests of our land,

Armed with thunder, clad with wings,
Shall a wider world command.

"Regions Cæsar never knew,
Thy posterity shall sway;
Where his eagles never flew,
None invincible as they."