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Sc. 2. p. 151.

Thef. Go one of you, find out the forefter, for now our obfervation is perform'd, and fince we have the vaward of the day, my love shall hear the mufick of my bounds.]

"This mene I now by mighty Thefeus, "That for to huntin is fo defirous,

"And namily at the grete bert in May, "That in his bedde ther dawith him no day "That he n'is clad, and redy for to ride, "With hunt, and horn, and houndis him be"fide.

"For in his hunting hath he fuch delite, "That it is all his joy, and appetite, "To bin himself the grete hart'is bane : "For after Mars, he fervith now Diane. "Clere was the day, as I have told er this, "And Thefeus with allè joy and bliss, "With his Hypolita the fayir queen, "And Emelie yclothi'd al in grene, "On hunting ben they riddin roiallie, "Unto the grove that stode ther full fast by : "In which ther was a hart, as men him told, "Duke Thefeus the ftreightè way hath hold, "And to the laund he ridith him full right, "For thither was the hart wont t'have his

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"And ov'r a broke, and fo forth on his wey, "The duke woll have a courfe at him or

' twey,

"With houndis fuch, as him left to commaund,

"And when the duke was come into the laund,

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"Undir the fonne he lokid, and anon, "He was ware of Arcite and Palamon, "That fought in breme, as it were bullis two "The brightè fwordis went faft too and fro, "So hideously that with the leftè stroke, "It femith that it would fell an oak.

The Knights Tale. 1675, &c.

Id. ib. We will fair queen up to the mountain top, and mark the mufical confufion of bounds and echo in conjunction.]

Hip. I was with Hercules, and Cadmús once, "Where in a wood of Crete they bay'd the bear "With bounds of Sparta, never did I hear "Such gallant chiding for befides the groves, "The fkies, the fountains, every region near "Seem'd all one mutual cry; I never heard “So mufical a difcord, fuch fweet thunder.

Thef. My bounds are bred out of the Spar66 tan kind,

"So flew'd, fo fanded, and their beads are hung "With ears that fweep away the morning dew: "Crook-kneed, and dew-lap'd like Theffalian " bulls.]

This is a fine defcription of hunting, &c. and a pack of hounds: and none of our Englifh writers upon that fubject, have come up to it, excepting the ingenious Mr. Somervile, who has borrow'd fome of his images.

"For much the Pack

"Rous'd from their dark alcoves, delight to

** ftretch

"And

"And bask in bis invigorating ray: [The fun's.] "Warn'd by the ftreaming light and merry

"lark

"Forth rush the jolly clan ; with tuneful "throats

"They carol loud; and in grand chorus join'd, "Salute the new-born day.

And again,

The Chace. Book 1. 129, &c.

"See there with count'nance blith, "And with a courtly grin the fawning hound "Salutes thee, cow'ring his wide, open nose Upward he curls, and his large floe-black

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"Melt in foft blandishments, and humble joy; "His gloffy fkin, or yellow-pied, or blue,

"In lights or fhades, by nature's pencil drawn, "Reflects the various Tints; his ears and legs "Fleckt here and there; in gay enameld pride. "Rival the speckled pard; his rush grown tail "Over his broad back bends in an ample arch, "On fhoulders clean, upright and firm he "ftands,

"His round cat-foot, ftraight hams, and wide"spread thighs,

"And his low-dropping cheft confefs his speed; “His strength, his wind, or on the steepy hill, "Or far extended plain; in ev'ry part "So well proportion'd that the nicer skill "Of Phedias himself, can't blame thy choice. Id. ib. 238, &c.

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Once more,

"But above all, take heed, nor mix thy hounds "Of diff'rent kinds, difcordant found fhall << grate

Thy ears offended, and a lagging line "Of babling curs, difgrace thy broken pack. "But if th' Amphibious otter be thy chace, "Or stately stag that o'er the woodland reigns ; "Or if th' harmonious thunder of the field "Delight thy ravish'd ears; the deep-flew'd "hound

"Breed up with care, ftrong, heavy, flow, but "fure:

"Whose ears down-hanging from his thick "round head,

"Shall fweep the morning dew, whofe clanging

"voice

"Awake the mountain echo in her cell, "Andshake the forefts. Id. ib. 278, &c. Id. ib. But foft, what nymphs are these?] Thefeus expreffes a furprize upon his first seeing the two duelifts, Palamon and Arcite.

"But what they werin, nothing he no wote." Knight's Tale. 1705.

Id. ib.

Thef. No doubt they rofe up early to obferve the rite of May.]

"This mene I now by mighty Thefeus,

"That for to huntin is fo defirous ;

"And namely at the Grete Hert in May."

As above.

Knight's Tale. 1675, &c.

3

Sc. 2.

Sc. 2. p. 153.

Thef. Come Hipolita] This is no part of a verfe, I suppose the author gave, Come my Hipolita (as alter'd by Sir Thomas Hanmer) we have the fame beginning of a verse in the first act scene I.

Come my Hipolita, what cheer my love?
Anon.

Sc. 3. P. 154.

Bot.

The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man bath not feen, man's band is not able to tafte, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report what my dream was.]:

These blunders are of the fame kind with thofe in a Comedy, Intitled Wily beguil'd, publith'd in the year 1638.

"I Pegg Pudding, promise thee William "Cricket,

"That I'le hold thee for mine own dear lilly, "While I have a head in mine eye, and a face " on my nofe,

"A mouth in my tongue, and all that a woman "fhould have,

"From the crown of my foot, to the foal of my head.

Sc. 4. p. 155. Enter Quince, Flute, Snout, and Starveling.] "Enter Quince, Flute, Thisby, Snout, and Starveling. Folio 1632.

Id. ib. A Paramour is God bless us, a thing of naught] Sir Thomas Hanmer says, it was nought in the old edition; and corrected by

F 3

Mr.

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