Page:The Chace - Somervile (1735).djvu/92

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THE CHACE.
Book III.
Nor Hounds alone this noxious Brood destroy: The plunder'd Warrener full many a Wile Devises to entrap his greedy Foe, Fat with nocturnal Spoils. At Close of Day, 200With Silence drags his Trail; then from the Ground Pares thin the close-graz'd Turf, there with nice Hand Covers the latent Death, with curious Springs Prepar'd to fly at once, whene'er the Tread Of Man or Beast, unwarily shall press 205The yielding Surface. By th' indented Steel With Gripe tenacious held, the Felon grins, And struggles, but in vain: Yet oft tis known, When ev'ry Art has fail'd, the captive Fox Has shar'd the wounded Joint, and with a Limb 210Compounded for his Life. But if perchance In the deep Pitfall plung'd, there's no Escape;

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