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The Hind and the Panther.
In fine, shortwing'd, unfit himself to fly,
His fear foretold foul weather in the sky.
His fear foretold foul weather in the sky.
Besides, a Raven from a wither'd Oak,
Left of their lodging, was observ'd to croke.
That omen lik'd him not, so his advice
Was present safety, bought at any price:
(A seeming pious care, that cover'd cowardise.)
To strengthen this, he told a boding dream,
Of rising waters, and a troubl'd stream,
Sure signs of anguish, dangers and distress,
With something more not lawfull to express:
By which he slyly seem'd to intimate
Some secret revelation of their fate.
For he concluded, once upon a time,
He found a leaf inscrib'd with sacred rime,
Whose antique characters did well denote
The Sibyl's hand of the Cumæan Grott:
The mad Divineress had plainly writ,
A time should come (but many ages yet,)
Left of their lodging, was observ'd to croke.
That omen lik'd him not, so his advice
Was present safety, bought at any price:
(A seeming pious care, that cover'd cowardise.)
To strengthen this, he told a boding dream,
Of rising waters, and a troubl'd stream,
Sure signs of anguish, dangers and distress,
With something more not lawfull to express:
By which he slyly seem'd to intimate
Some secret revelation of their fate.
For he concluded, once upon a time,
He found a leaf inscrib'd with sacred rime,
Whose antique characters did well denote
The Sibyl's hand of the Cumæan Grott:
The mad Divineress had plainly writ,
A time should come (but many ages yet,)
In
