Page:The Chace - Somervile (1735).djvu/97

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Book III.
THE CHACE.
77
The brittle Boughs, and greedily devoursThe Fruit delicious. Ah! too dearly bought;The Price is Life. For now the treach'rous TurfTrembling gives way; and the unweildy Beast 285Self-sinking, drops into the dark Profound.So when dilated Vapours, struggling heaveTh' incumbent Earth; if Chance the cavern'd Ground,Shrinking subside, and the thin Surface yield,Down sinks at once the pond'rous Dome, ingulph'dWith all its Tow'rs. Subtle, delusive Man!How various are thy Wiles! artful to killThy savage Foes, a dull unthinking Race!Fierce from his Lair, springs forth the speckled Pard,Thirsting for Blood, and eager to destroy; 295The Huntsman flies, but to his Flight aloneConfides not: At convenient Distance fix'd,A polish'd Mirrour, stops in full Career

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