37^ STUDIES OF NATURE. 



lours, the banks of the Afiatic and African dreams. 

 But we find nothing once to be compared with 

 them, in the plumage of fuch as inhabit the open 

 Sea, though they are ftill more expofed to the in- 

 fluences of the Sun. 



As a farther confequence of thefe correfponden- 

 cies with Man, Nature has given to the birds 

 which live remote from him, cries fhrill, hoarfe, 

 and piercing, but which are as proper as their ill- 

 aflbrted colours, to render them perceptible at a 

 diftance, amidft their wild retreats. She has be- 

 ftowed, on the contrary, fweet notes and melodi- 

 ous voices on the little birds which people our 

 groves, and domefticate themfelves in our habita- 

 tions, in order to heighten our delight, as well by 

 the mufic of their warbling as by the beauty of 

 their colours. We repeat it, in order to confirm 

 the truth of the principles of the harmonies which 

 we are laying down : Nature has eftabli(hed an 

 order of beauty fo real, in the plumage and the 

 fong of birds, that (he has endowed with thefe 

 fuch birds only, whofe life was in fome fort inno- 

 cent relatively to Man, as thofe which are grani- 

 vorous, or which live on infefls ; and flie has de- 

 nied thofe advantages to birds of prey, and to 

 moft fea-fowls, which, in general, have earthy co- 

 lours, and difagreeable cries. 



AH 



