The Birds of Shakespeare 
To be to thee this night a torch-bearer, 
And light thee on thy way to Mantua : 
Therefore stay yet ; thou needst not to be gone. 
Rom. Let me be ta’en, let me be put to death ; 
I am content, so thou wilt have it so. 
I'll say yon grey is not the morning’s eye, 
’Tis but the pale reflex of Cynthia’s brow. 
Nor that is not the lark, whose notes do beat 
The vaulty heaven so high above our heads : 
How is’t my soul? let’s talk: it is not day. 
Jul. It is, it is: hie hence, be gone, away ! 
It is the lark that sings so out of tune. 
Some say the lark and loathed toad change eyes ; 
O, now I would they had changed voices too !? 
The BLACKBIRD or OUZEL, depicted in 
Bottom’s song as ‘“‘so black of hue, with 
orange-tawny bill,” though one of our 
most melodious songsters, receives no 
commendation from Shakespeare. It is 
only once again mentioned by him, when 
its name is used with a rather uncompli- 
mentary meaning. When Justice Shallow 
enquires of his brother magistrate regarding 
his god-daughter, Silence replies, “‘ Alas, a 
1 Romeo and Juliet, Wl. v. 1-32. 
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