Observe with care his shape, sort, colour, size. Nor will sagacious huntsmen less regard His inward habits: the vain babbler shun, Ever loquacious, ever in the wrong. His foolish offspring shall offend thy ears With false alarms, and loud impertinence. Nor less the shifting cur avoid, that breaks _70 Illusive from the pack; to the next hedge Devious he strays, there every mews he tries: If haply then he cross the steaming scent, Away he flies vain-glorious; and exults As of the pack supreme, and in his speed And strength unrivalled. Lo! cast far behind His vexed associates pant, and labouring strain To climb the steep ascent. Soon as they reach The insulting boaster, his false courage fails, Behind he lags, doomed to the fatal noose, _80 His master's hate, and scorn of all the field. What can from such be hoped, but a base brood Of coward curs, a frantic, vagrant race? When now the third revolving moon appears, With sharpened horns, above the horizon's brink; Without Lucina's aid, expect thy hopes Are amply crowned; short pangs produce to light The smoking litter; crawling, helpless, blind, Nature their guide, they seek the pouting teat That plenteous streams. Soon as the tender dam _90 Has formed them with her tongue, with pleasure view The marks of their renowned progenitors, Sure pledge of triumphs yet to come. All these Select with joy; but to the merciless flood Expose the dwindling refuse, nor o'erload The indulgent mother. If thy heart relent, Unwilling to destroy, a nurse provide, And to the foster-parent give the care Of thy superfluous brood; she'll cherish kind The alien offspring; pleased thou shalt behold _100 Her tenderness, and hospitable love. If frolic now, and playful they desert Their gloomy cell, and on the verdant turf With nerves improved, pursue the mimic chase, Coursing around; unto thy choicest friends Commit thy valued prize: the rustic dames Shall at thy kennel wait, and in their laps Receive thy growing hopes, with many a kiss Caress, and dignify their little charge With some great title, and resounding name _110 Of high import. But cautious here observe To check their youthful ardour, nor permit The unexperienced younker, immature, Alone to range the woods, or haunt the brakes Where dodging conies sport: his nerves unstrung, And strength unequal; the laborious chase Shall stint his growth, and his rash forward youth Contract such vicious habits, as thy care And late correction never shall reclaim. When to full strength arrived, mature and bold, _120 Conduct them to the field; not all at once But as thy cooler prudence shall direct, Select a few, and form them by degrees To stricter discipline. With these consort The stanch and steady sages of thy pack, By long experience versed in all the wiles, And subtle doublings of the various chase. Easy the lesson of the youthful train,