Difficulty sometimes arises in putting a stop to the bleeding from leech-bites; a matter of considerable importance in the case of a delicate infant.

And when in the afternoon he toddled away, and back into the forest, what wonder if I felt like Wordsworth after his talk with the old leech-gatherer? 'And when he ended, I could have laughed myself to scorn to find In that decrepit man so firm a mind; God, said I, be my help and stay secure, I'll think of thee, leech-gatherer, on the lonely moor.'

Meantime, thou art scarce yet fit to ride, and needest more of good Agnes's leech-craft.

The end is nearthe fierce old tiger dies! Up there on purple cushion, in the light Of flickering lamps, pale Cæsar waits for morn; His sallow face, by hideous ulcers torn, Looks ghastlier than was e'er its wont tonight; Hollow the eyes; the fire of fell disease And burning fever runs through every limb; None but the aged leech abides with him, And Macro, trusted bearer of the keys.

A slimy pool all rank with rotting weeds, Close by the pines there at the highway side; No ripple on its green and stagnant tide, Where only cold and still the horse-leech breeds Ugh! might not here some bloody murder hide! Pshaw! ...

Under their government the crows had begun to lead such a life that now they were more feared than pigeon-hawks and leech-owls.