THE HIND and the PANTHER. A Milk-white Hind, immortal and unchang'd, Fed on the lawns, and in the foreft rang'd; Without unfpotted, innocent within, She fear'd no danger, for fhe knew no fin. Not fo her young; for their unequal line Was hero's make, half human, half divine. Their earthly mold obnoxious was to fate, The immortal part affum'd immortal state. Of these a slaughter'd army lay in blood, Extended o'er the Caledonian wood, Their native walk; whofe vocal blood arofe, And cry'd for pardon on their perjur'd foes. Their fate was fruitful, and the fanguine feed, Endu'd with fouls, increas'd the facred breed. So captive Ifrael multiply'd in chains, A numerous exile, and enjoy'd her pains. With grief and gladnefs mix'd, the mother view'd Her martyr'd offspring, and their race renew'd; Their corps to perifh, but their kind to last,' So much the deathless plant the dying fruit furpafs'd. Panting and penfive now fhe rang'd alone, And wander'd in the kingdoms, once her own. The common hunt, tho from their rage reftrain'd By fovereign power her company difdain'd; Grin'd as they pass'd, and with a glaring eye Gave gloomy figns of fecret enmity. 'Tis true, the bounded by, and trip'd fo light, They had not time to take a fteady fight. For truth has fuch a face and such a mien, The bloody bear, an independent beast, Unlick'd to form, in groans her hate exprest. Among the timorous kind the quaking hare Profefs'd neutrality, but would not swear. Next her the buffoon ape as atheists use, Mimick'd all fects, and had his own to chufe: Still when the lion look'd his knees he bent, And paid at church a courtier's compliment. The briftled baptift boar, impure as he, But whiten'd with the foam of fanctity, With fat pollutions fill'd the facred place, And mountains levell'd in his furious race: So first rebellion founded was in grace. But fince the mighty ravage, which he made In German forefts, had his guilt betray'd, With broken tufks, and with a borrow'd name, He fhun'd' the vengeance, and conceal'd the fhame; So lurk'd in fects unfeen. With greater guile Falfe reynard fed on confecrated spoil: The graceless beaft by Athanafius first Was chas'd from Nice, then by Socinus nurs'd: His impious race their blafphemy renew'd, What weight of antient witness can prevail, O teach me to believe thee thus conceal'd, was gone, My pride ftruck out new sparkles of her own. Can I believe eternal God could lie Difguis'd in mortal mold and infancy? That the great Maker of the world could die? And shall my fight, and touch, and taste rebel? Shall their fubfervient organs be Can they who fay the host should be descry'd Impaffable, and penetrating parts ? Let them declare by what mysterious arts For fince thus wonderoufly he pafs'd, 'tis plain, |