to certain Natural Objects, ^4f 



times absurdly attributed to this cause. On the other hand, 

 I have lately been informed, that, if the first time you see 



A Lamb in the Spring, it stand with its head towards you, 

 it is considered a lucky circumstance ; and still more so, if it 

 happen to be a black one. Black lambs, indeed, I find, have 

 a sort of superstitious preference sometimes shown them ; 

 and, on account of their colour alone, are often reserved to 

 form part of the flock, instead of being disposed of to the 

 butcher. 



The Raven and the Owl have been regarded as birds o f 

 ominous portent, time out of mind. 



" Is it not ominous, in all countries, 

 When crows and ravens croak upon trees ? " 



HudibraSy part ii. canto iii. 707. ' 



" The raven himself is hoarse. 



That croaks the fatal enterance of Duncan 



Under my battlements." Macbeth, 



" Came he right now to sing a raven's note, :.s 



Whose disi^al tune bereft my vital powers." 



Henry VL, part ii« 



" O I it comes o'er my memory. 



As doth the raven o'er the infected house. 



Boding to all." * Othello. 



So harsh and mournful is the ordinary voice of the raven, 

 that this alone may, perhaps, be sufficient to account for the 

 bird's being looked upon, by ignorant and superstitious minds, 

 as presaging ill. It has often occurred to me, when exploring 

 the more inaccessible parts of the British mountains (though 

 without feeling any superstitious dread on the occasion), that 

 the ravens, whose "ancient solitary reign" I had invaded, 

 uttered their harsh croak, as they soared over my head, in 

 expectation, as it were, of my falling down the ravines and 



* See Brand, ii. 527. ; where several other passages relating to the raven 



are quoted. 



It is essential that we do not confound the raven of the poets with their 

 Night Raven; although they attribute enough of nocturnal bodings to 



the former. The night raven (Mr. Dovaston tells us, in VI. 9.) is the 



bittern ; and the nightly " boomps " of this bird agree very well with the 



** trompe of doleful dreere " of Spenser : — 



" The ill-fac'd owle, death's dreadful messengere, 

 The hoarse night raven, trompe of dolefull dreere." Spenser. 



Is the night croiv another name for the night raven f or is it merely a 

 bird of the poets ? 



" Now croaks the toad, and night crowes screech aloud." 



Second part o^ Antonio and Mellida (Marston's Works, 

 quoted by Brand, as above). 



N N 2 



