BIRD MUSIC 147 



Forest, and on the side of the house where I slept 

 there was a large arbor vitas in which a blackbird 

 roosted every night on a level with my window. Now, 

 every morning at half-past three this bird would 

 begin to sing and go on repeating his song at short 

 intervals for about half an hour. It was very silent 

 at that time; I could hear no other bird; and the 

 sound coming in at the open window from a distance 

 of but five yards had such a marvellous beauty that 

 I could have wished for no more blessed existence 

 than to lie there, head on pillow, with the pale early 

 light and the perfume of night-flowers in the room, 

 listening to that divine sound. 



