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FABLE [44] XLIV.

The Hound and the Huntsman.

1 IMpertinence at first is born
2 With heedless slight, or smiles of scorn;
3 Teaz'd into wrath, what patience bears
4 The noisy fool who perseveres?
5 The morning wakes, the huntsman sounds,
6 At once rush forth the joyful hounds;
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7 They seek the wood with eager pace,
8 Through bush, through brier explore the chase;
9 Now scatter'd wide they try the plain,
10 And snuff the dewy turf in vain.
11 What care, what industry, what pains!
12 What universal silence reigns!
13 Ringwood, a dog of little fame,
14 Young, pert, and ignorant of game,
15 At once displays his babbling throat;
16 The pack, regardless of the note,
17 Pursue the scent; with louder strain
18 He still persists to vex the train.
19 The Huntsman to the clamour flies,
20 The smacking lash he smartly plies;
21 His ribs all welk'd, with howling tone
22 The puppy thus exprest his moan.
23 I know the musick of my tongue
24 Long since the pack with envy stung;
25 What will not spite? These bitter smarts
26 I owe to my superior parts.
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27 When puppies prate, the Huntsman cry'd,
28 They show both ignorance and pride,
29 Fools may our scorn, not envy raise,
30 For envy is a kind of praise.
31 Had not thy forward noisy tongue
32 Proclaim'd thee always in the wrong,
33 Thou might'st have mingled with the rest,
34 And ne'er thy foolish nose confest;
35 But fools, to talking ever prone,
36 Are sure to make their follies known.

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About this text

Title (in Source Edition): FABLE [44] XLIV. The Hound and the Huntsman.
Author: John Gay
Themes: animals
Genres: fable

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Source edition

Gay, John, 1685-1732. FABLES. By Mr. GAY. London: Printed for J. Tonson and J. Watts, MDCCXXVII., 1727, pp. 150-152. [14],173,[1]p.: ill.; 4°. (ESTC T13818)

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Typography, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation have been cautiously modernized. The source of the text is given and all significant editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. This ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.

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