BIRD MUSIC 141 



be no such "train of ideas" nor any vague sense 

 of happiness due to association caused by a bird's 

 voice to one whose life or its early, most happy, and 

 impressible period has been spent apart from rural 

 scenes. The voice may be agreeable if the quality 

 is good, but it is expressionless. 



To others, especially to those who have lived with 

 and have been lovers of nature from the cradle, even 

 a slight bird sound may produce a magical effect, 

 and I here recall an experience of the kind which I 

 had two or three summers ago at Harrogate. 



I should say, judging from its fine appearance and 

 the numbers of fine people frequenting it, that Harro- 

 gate must be highly esteemed by town-loving folk; 

 it is a parasitic town nevertheless, and on that account 

 alone distasteful to me; and to make matters worse 

 I there found myself in a numerous company of the 

 sick — pilgrims from all parts of the land to that pool 

 in which they fondly hoped they would be cured of 

 their ills. Perhaps they did not all hope for a com- 

 plete cure, as there was a very large proportion of 

 well-nourished, middle-aged, and elderly gentlemen 

 with hard red or port-wine faces and watery eyes 

 who walked or hobbled painfully, some with the 

 aid of two sticks, others with crutches, while many 

 were seen in bath-chairs. I took it that these well- 

 to-do well-fed gentlemen were victims of gout and 

 rheumatism. 



In this crowd of sufferers mixed with fashionables 

 I was alone, out of my element, depressed, and should 

 have been miserable but for a small bird, or rather of 



