26 THE BLACKBIRD. 



morniug or evening, in the month of May/ for, on such 

 occasions — 



the Merle's note, 

 Mellifluous, rich, deep-toued, fills all the vale, 

 And charms the ravished ear. — Gbahame. 



The Blackbird is very frequently mentioned by our poets ; 

 one of the earliest poems of Dunbar, who may be styled the 

 Burns of the fifteenth century, being " The Merle and the 

 Nichtingale," beginning — 



In May, as that Aurora up did spring, 

 With crystal ene chasing the cluds sable, 

 I hard a Merle, with merry notes sing 

 A sang of love. 



Coming to a much later date, we find Sir Walter Scott 

 referring to its song, in the opening verses of the " Gather- 

 ing," in The Lady of the Lake — 



The summer dawn's reflected hue 



To purple changed Loch Katrine blue ; 



Mildly and soft the western breeze 



Just kiss'd the lake, just stirr'd the trees ; 



The Blackbird and the speckled Thrush 

 Good morrow gave from brake and bush. 



And Leyden, describing the sylvan beauties of the Border- 

 land, says — 



The mountain ash whose berries shine ; 

 The flaxen birch that yields the palmy wine ; 

 The guine, whose luscious sable cherries spring 

 To lure the Blackbird 'mid her boughs to sing. 



1 Gower, in a Sonnet on the month of May, written in the reign of Edward lu., 

 mentions the singing of the Merle as one of the chief attractions of this charming 



season of the year : — 



Pour comparer le joli u\ois de Mai, 



Je (le) dirai semblable a Paradis ; 



Car lors chantoit et Merle et Popegai ; 



Les champs sont verds, les herbes sont fleuries. 



Lors et Nature dame dii pais. 



Specimens of Early English Poetry, vol. i. p. 170. 

 The Scottish poet, Alexander Scott, who wrote in the time of Queen Mary, says 



in The Blait Luvar : — 



QuJien flora had ourfrct the firth, 

 In May of every moneth quene, 

 Qnheu Merle and Mavis sings with mirth 

 Sweet mcUing in the schawls schene. 



