 | Miscellanies (1785) |  |
163
THE PARTRIDGES:
AN ELEGY.
WRITTEN ON THE LAST DAY OF AUGUST.
Hard by yon copse, that skirts the flowery vale,
As late I walk'd to taste th' evening breeze,
A plaintive murmur mingled in the gale,
And notes of sorrow echo'd thro' the trees.
As late I walk'd to taste th' evening breeze,
A plaintive murmur mingled in the gale,
And notes of sorrow echo'd thro' the trees.
Touch'd by the pensive sound, I nearer drew:
But my rude steps increas'd the cause of pain:
Soon o'er my head the whirling Partridge flew
Alarm'd; and with her flew an infant train.
But my rude steps increas'd the cause of pain:
Soon o'er my head the whirling Partridge flew
Alarm'd; and with her flew an infant train.
164
But short the excursion;—for unus'd to play,
Feebly th' unfledg'd wings th' essay could make;
The parent, shelter'd by the closing day,
Lodg'd her lov'd covey in a neigh'bring brake.
Feebly th' unfledg'd wings th' essay could make;
The parent, shelter'd by the closing day,
Lodg'd her lov'd covey in a neigh'bring brake.
Her cradling pinions there she amply spread,
And hush'd th' affrighted family to rest;
But still the late alarm suggested dread,
As closer to their feathery friend they prest.
And hush'd th' affrighted family to rest;
But still the late alarm suggested dread,
As closer to their feathery friend they prest.
She, wretched parent, doom'd to various woe,
Felt all a mother's hope, a mother's fear,
With grief foresaw the dawn's impending blow;
And to avert it, thus prefer'd her prayer:
Felt all a mother's hope, a mother's fear,
With grief foresaw the dawn's impending blow;
And to avert it, thus prefer'd her prayer:
O thou! who even the sparrow dost befriend,
Whose providence protects the harmless wren;
Thou God of birds! these innocents defend
From the vile sports of unrelenting men.
Whose providence protects the harmless wren;
Thou God of birds! these innocents defend
From the vile sports of unrelenting men.
For soon as dawn shall dapple yonder skies,
The slaught'ring gunner, with the tube of fate,
While the dire dog the faithless stubble tries,
Shall persecute our tribe with annual hate.
The slaught'ring gunner, with the tube of fate,
While the dire dog the faithless stubble tries,
Shall persecute our tribe with annual hate.
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O may the sun, unfann'd by cooling gale,
Parch with unwonted heat th' undewy ground;
So shall the pointer's wonted cunning fail,
So shall the sportsman leave my babes unfound.
Parch with unwonted heat th' undewy ground;
So shall the pointer's wonted cunning fail,
So shall the sportsman leave my babes unfound.
Then may I fearless guide them to the mead,
Then may I see with joy their plumage grow,
Then may I see (fond thought!) their future breed,
And every transport of a parent know.
Then may I see with joy their plumage grow,
Then may I see (fond thought!) their future breed,
And every transport of a parent know.
But if some victim must endure the dart,
And fate marks out that victim from my race,
Strike, strike the leaden vengeance thro' this heart,
Spare, spare my babes, and I the death embrace.
And fate marks out that victim from my race,
Strike, strike the leaden vengeance thro' this heart,
Spare, spare my babes, and I the death embrace.
| Miscellanies (1785) | |