422 STUDIES OF NATURE, 



Jefs, always places himfelf within fight of his ha- 

 bitation, and within the reach of his ear. He 

 choofes, for this effect, places which are the beft 

 conductors of found, in order that their echoing 

 may give more a&ion to his voice. Having fta- 

 tioned himfelf in his orcheftra, he warbles an un- 

 known drama, which has it's exordium, it's expo- 

 fition, it's recitative, it's cataftrophe, intermingled 

 fometimes with the moft extravagant burfts of joy, 

 fometimes with bitter and plaintive notes of recol- 

 lection, which he exprefles by long and deep 

 fighs. He raifes his fong at the commencement 

 of that feafon which renews the face of Nature, 

 and feems to prefent Man with a reprefentation of 

 the refllefs career which lies before him. 



Every bird has a voice adapted to the times and 

 the flations of it's deftination, and relative to the 

 wants of Man. The loud clarion of the cock calls 

 him up to labour at the dawn of day. The brifk 

 and lively fong of the lark, in the meadow, invites 

 the fwains and fhepherdefles to the dance ; the vo- 

 racious thrufh, which appears only in Autumn, 

 fummons the ruftic vine-dreifer to the vinrage. 

 Man alone, on his part, is attentive to the accents 

 of the feathered race. Never will the deer, who 

 fheds tears copioufly over his own misfortunes, 

 figh over thofe of the complaining Philomel. Ne- 

 ver did the laborious ox, when led to the flaughter, 



after 



