The Works of the English Poets: With Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, Volume 47

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C. Bathurst, 1779 - English poetry

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Page 82 - O'er yon dank rushy marsh The sly goose-footed prowler bends his course, And seeks the distant shallows. Huntsman, bring 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 these floods preside, Raise up your dripping heads above the wave, And hear our melody. Th...
Page 50 - Wide-gaping, threatens death : the craggy steep, Where the poor dizzy shepherd crawls with care, And clings to every twig, gives us no pain ; But down we sweep, as stoops the falcon bold To pounce his prey : then up the opponent hill, By the swift motion slung, we mount aloft.
Page 6 - But it is evident, that the art of hunting is very different now from what it was in his days, and very much altered and improved in these latter ages.
Page 83 - The' ascending 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 spears Menace destruction : while the troubled surge Indignant foams, and all the scaly kind Affrighted, hide their heads. Wild tumult reigns, And loud uproar. Ah there once more he vents ! See, that bold hound has seiz'd him; down they sink, Together lost; but soon shall he repent His rash assault.
Page 138 - A plague on earth, thou didst not then invoke On that devoted head ; if e'er thy heart Prov'd haggard to my love, if e'er thy hand Declin'd the nuptial bond i But, oh!
Page 243 - OCCASIONED BY A CLERGYMAN'S WIDOW OF SEVEXTV YEARS OF ACE, BEING MARRIED TO А YOÜNO EXCISEMAN. THERE liv'd in our good town, A relict of the gown, A chaste and humble dame ; Who, when her man of God Was cold as any clod, Dropt many a tear in vain. But now, good people, learn all. No grief can be eternal ; Nor is it meet, I ween, That folks should always whimper, There is a time to simper, As quickly shall be seen.
Page 85 - With less ambitious wing; unskilld to range From orb to orb, where Newton leads the way; And view with piercing eyes the grand machine, Worlds above worlds ; subservient to his voice.
Page 73 - Confiding sure ; give him full scope to work His winding way, and with thy voice applaud His patience, and his care : soon shalt thou view The hopeful pupil leader of his tribe, And all the listening pack attend his call. Oft lead them forth where wanton lambkins play, And bleating dams with jealous eyes observe Their tender care.
Page 58 - But perilous th' attempt. For if the steed Haply too near approach, or the loose earth His footing fail, the watchful, angry beast Th' advantage spies, and at one sidelong glance Rips up his groin. Wounded, he rears aloft, And, plunging, from his back the rider hurls Precipitant ; then bleeding spurns the ground, And drags his reeking entrails o'er the plain.
Page 83 - Of all the brutes, Whether by Nature form'd, or by long use, This artful diver best can bear the want Of vital air. Unequal is the fight, Beneath the whelming element. Yet there He lives not long ; but respiration needs At proper intervals.

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