And he directs us to feed them with butter-milk. "Pafce fero pingui." He has, it is true, touched upon the Chace in the 4th and 7th books of the Æneid. 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. It does not appear to me that the ancients had any notion of pursuing wild beafts by the scent only, with a regular and welldifciplined pack of hounds; and therefore they must have paffed for poachers amongst our modern sportsmen. The muter-roll given us by Ovid, in his story of Actæon, is of all forts of dogs, and of all countries. And the defcription of the ancient hunting, as we find it in the antiquities of Pere de Montfaucon taken from the Sepulchre of the Nafos, and the Arch of Conftantine, has not the leaft trace of the manner now in use.

Whenever the ancients mention dogs followed by the fcent, they mean no more than finding out the game by the nofe of one fingle dog. This was as much as they knew of the "odora canum vis." Thus Nemefianus fays,

"Odorato nofcunt veftigia prato,

"Atque etiam leporum fecreta cubilia monftrant." They challenge on the mead the recent stains, And trail the hare unto her fecret form.

Oppian has a long defcription of thefe dogs in his firft book, from ver. 479 to 526. And here, though he feems to defcribe the hunting of the hare by the fcent through many turnings and windings; yet he really fays no more, than that one of those hounds, which he

calls

calls ixveutiges, finds out the game. For he follows the scent no further than the hare's form; from whence, after he has started her, he purfues her by fight. I am indebted for these two last remarks to a reverend and very learned gentleman, whose judgment in the belles lettres nobody difputes, and whofe approbation gave me the affurance to publish this poem.

Oppian alfo obferves, that the best fort of these finders were brought from Britain; this island having always been famous (as it is at this day) for the best breed of hounds, for perfons the best skilled in the art of hunting, and for horfes the most enduring to follow the chace. It is therefore ftrange that none of our poets have yet thought it worth their while to treat of this fubject; which is without doubt very noble in itself, and very well adapted to receive the most beautiful turns of poetry. Perhaps our poets have no great genius for hunting. Yet I hope, my brethren of the couples, by encouraging this first, but imperfect, effay, will fhew the world they have at least some taste for poetry.

The ancients efteemed hunting, not only as a manly and warlike exercise, but as highly conducive to health. The famous Galen recommends it above all others, as not only exercising the body, but giving delight and entertainment to the mind. And he calls the inventors of this art wife men, and well-fkilled in human nature. Lib. de parvæ pilæ exercitio...

The gentlemen, who are fond of a gingle at the close of every verfe, and think no poem truly mufical but

what is in rhyme, will here find themselves disappointed. If they be pleased to read over the fhort preface before the Paradise Loft, Mr. Smith's poem in memory of his friend Mr. John Philips, and the Archbishop of Cambray's letter to Monfieur Fontenelle, they may probably be of another opinion. For my own part, I fhall not be ashamed to follow the example of Milton, Philips, Thomson, and all our best tragick writers.

Some few terms of art are dispersed here and there; but fuch only as are abfolutely requifite to explain my fubject. I hope in this the criticks will excufe me; for I am humbly of opinion, that the affectation, and not the neceffary use, is the proper object of their cenfure.

But I have done. I know the impatience of my brethren, when a fine day, and the concert of the kennel, invite them abroad. I fhall therefore leave my reader to fuch diverfion as he may find in the poem

· itself.

“En age, segnes,

"Rumpe moras; vocat ingenti clamore Citharon, "Taygetique canes, domitrixque Epidaurus equorum ; "Et vox affenfu nemorum ingeminata remugit." VIRG. Georg. iii.

Hark, away,

Caft far behind the lingering cares of life.
Citharon calls aloud, and in full cry
Thy hounds, Taygetus. Epidaurus trains
For us the generous steed; the hunter's fhouts,
And chearing cries, affenting woods return.

то

то

WILLIAM SOMERVILE, Efq;

ON HIS POEM CALLED

THE CHA CE.

W

HILE you, Sir, gain the steep ascent to fame,
And honours due to deathless merit claim;
To a weak Muse a kind indulgence lend,

Fond with just praise your labours to commend,
And tell the world that Somervile's her friend.
Her incenfe guiltless of the forms of art
Breathes all the huntsman's honefty of heart;
Whofe fancy ftill the pleasing scene retains
Of Edric's villa and Ardenna's plains:
Joys, which from change superior charms receiv'd,
The horn hoarse founding by the lyre reliev'd :
When the day crown'd with rural chaste delight,
Refigns obfequious to the feftive night;

}

The festive night awakes th' harmonious lay,
And in sweet verse recounts the triumphs of the day.
Strange! that the British Muse should leave fo long,
The Chace, the sport of Britain's kings, unfung!
Diftinguish'd land! by Heaven indulg'd to breed
The ftout, fagacious hound, and generous steed;
In vain! while yet no bard adorn'd our isle,
To celebrate the glorious sylvan toil.

For

For this what darling son shall feel thy fire,
God of th' unerring bow, and tuneful lyre?
Our vows are heard-Attend, ye vocal throng,
Somervile meditates th' adventurous fong.
Bold to attempt, and happy to excel,

His numerous verfe the huntsman's art fhall tell.
From him, ye British youths, a vigorous race,
Imbibe the various fcience of the chace;
And while the well-plann'd fyftem you admire,
Know Brunswick only could the work inspire;
A Georgick Mufe awaits Auguftan days,

And Somerviles will fing, when Fredericks give the bays.

JOHN NIXON.

ΤΟ