The old English 'squire, "a jovial gay fox hunter, bold, frank, and free" : a poem in ten cantos . ey;Forming a path so wild and sweetTwas sure some fairies lovd retreat. 86 THE OLD ENGLISH SQUIRE Still on they pushd through fern and briar, Yet following Roger and the squire, Who plodded slowly on before, Till all had gaind the open moor. 1400 Then burst upon their wondring eye, A vast expanse of moors and sky. Where undulating hills and dales. One universal heath prevails— The astonishd strangers raisd their chins, And stumbling often broke their shins, Staring and floundring oer the waste. E
The old English 'squire, "a jovial gay fox hunter, bold, frank, and free" : a poem in ten cantos . ey;Forming a path so wild and sweetTwas sure some fairies lovd retreat. 86 THE OLD ENGLISH SQUIRE Still on they pushd through fern and briar, Yet following Roger and the squire, Who plodded slowly on before, Till all had gaind the open moor. 1400 Then burst upon their wondring eye, A vast expanse of moors and sky. Where undulating hills and dales. One universal heath prevails— The astonishd strangers raisd their chins, And stumbling often broke their shins, Staring and floundring oer the waste. Eager for birds—to shoot—in haste. Few minutes passd eer two smart cracks, Were heard at hand, behind their backs ; 141 o When briskly looking round, beheld. Jemmy himself and gun both spilld. He had steppd on a stone, which had slippdfrom his feet. And had found cousin Jemmy, a cool, tho hard,seat. The shock doubtless had, as one may perpend, When so hard he came down upon his latterend, Causd his fingers too hard on the trigger topress. Firing straight in the air, what could he do CANTO THE SIXTH 87 And—O dire mishap—his best kerse}Tiieres wereInexpressibly crackd^ for theyd crackd in the rear^ 1420 And thro the whole day our fat friend had to rue,Those fissures and rents thro which the wind blew.^ Dear cousin/ said Edward, I hope theres no sin in What Im going to observe, that youre airing your linen;^ Mongst friends what occasion could thus you induce^To fire an alarm, or hang out flag of truce ?^Indeed, cried out James, ^I hope therell no truce be Twixt me and the grouse, and this you shall soon see ?For an excellent point their prime dog just nosd,A dog that neer errd or ever was posd, 1430Don walkd boldly up, and as most people doFollowd straight his own nose, but always more true. 88 THE OLD ENGLISH SQUIRE Quick up rose twelve birds among them he fird,Though he killd not a bird they were horribly scard,For his piece had missd fire, yet it famously blazdI
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjecthorses, bookyear1905
