THE

FLEECE.

BOOK II.

F 4

THE ARGUMENT.

Ntroduction. Recommendation of mercifulness to animals. Of the winding of wool. Diversity of wool in the fleece: Skill in the afforting of it; particularly among the Dutch. The ufes of each fort. Severe winters pernicious to the fleece. Directions to prevent their effects. Wool lighteft in common-fields: inconve niencies of common-fields. Vulgar errors concerning the wool of England: its real excellencies; and directions in the choice. No good wool in cold or wet paftures : yet all paftures improveable; exemplified in the drainage of Bedford Level. Britain in ancient times not esteemed for wool. Countries efteemed for wool before the Argonautic expedition. "Of that expedition, and its conJequences. Countries afterwards efteemed for wool. The decay of arts and Sciences in the barbarous ages: their revival, first at Venice. Countries noted for wool in the prefent times. Wool the best of all the various materials for cloathing. The wool of our island, peculiarly excellent, is the combing wool. Methods to prevent its exportation. Apology of the author for treating this fubject. Bishop Blaife the inventor of wool-combing. Of the dying of wool. Few dyes the natural product of England. Neceffity of trade for importing them. The advantages of trade, and its utility in the moral world; exemplified in the profperity and ruin of the elder Tyre.

THE

FLEECE.

BOOK II.

OW, of the fever'd lock, begin the song,

NOW

With various numbers, thro' the fimple theme To win attention: this, ye fhepherd swains, This is a labor. Yet, O WRAY, if Thou Cease not with skilful hand to point her way, The lark-wing'd muse, above the graffy vale, And hills, and woods, fhall, finging, foar aloft; And He, whom learning, wisdom, candor, grace, Who glows with all the virtues of his fire, ROYSTON approve, and patronize the strain.

Thro' all the brute creation, none, as sheep, To lordly man fuch ample tribute pay. For Him their udders yi̟ld nectareous streams; For Him their downy veftures they resign;

For

For Him they spread the feaft: ah! ne'er may he
Glory in wants, which doom to pain and death
His blameless fellow-creatures. Let difeafe,
Let wafted hunger, by deftroying live;
And the permiffion use with trembling thanks,
Meekly reluctant: 'tis the brute beyond:
And gluttons ever murder, when they kill.
Ev'n to the reptile ev'ry cruel deed
Is high impiety. Howe'er not all,
Not of the fanguinary tribe are all;

All are not favage. Come, ye gentle swains,
Like BRAMA's healthy fons on Indus' banks,"
Whom the pure ftream and garden fruits sustain,
Ye are the fons of nature; your mild hands
Are innocent: ye, when ye fhear, relieve.
Come, gentle fwains, the bright unfully'd locks
Collect; alternate fongs fhall footh your cares,
And warbling music break from ev'ry spray.
Be faithful; and the genuine locks alone

Wrap round: nor alien flake, nor pitch enfold:
Stain not your ftores with base defire to add

Fallacious