10 MUSIC OF BIRDS. 



light. It soothes us with romantic visions of love when 

 an ethereal sentiment of adoration as well as a passion, 

 and of friendship when a passion and not an expediency. 

 It reminds us of dear and simple adventures, and of the 

 comrades who had part in them ; of dappled mornings 

 and of serene and glowing sunsets ; of sequestered nooks 

 and of sunny seats in the wild wood ; of paths by the 

 waterside, and of flowers that smiled a bright welcome 

 to our rambling ; of lingering departures from home, and 

 of old by-ways hedged with viburnums and overshadowed 

 by trees that spread their perfume around our path to 

 gladden our return. By this pleasant instrumentality 

 has Nature provided for the happiness of all who have 

 learned to be delighted with her works, and with the 

 sound of those voices which she has appointed to com- 

 municate to the human soul the joys of the inferior 

 creation. 



