190 THE SWALLOWS. 



There are few so indifferent as not to hail them with 

 pleasure on their return after a long and gloomy winter, and 

 the joyous expression, " I have seen the swallows for the first 

 time this year" is felt, if not spoken, by all, for the arrival of the 

 first swallow is hailed as the true harbinger of Summer, bringing 

 with it a thousand anticipations of sunny skies and cheerful 

 rambles in the open fields, and of pic-nics spent by the sea- 

 shore, on Kinkell braes, or the green woods ; for on its 

 approach the trees have begun to assume their livery of green, 

 the meadows to be strewn with flowers ; the bee, the butterfly, 

 and even the very beetle have left their winter's sleep, and flit 

 by on happy wing. I never see these dear birds gathering 

 together on some high church rigging or telegraphic wire on the 

 approach of winter than I feel as depressed at their leaving as 

 I felt enlivened on their coming ; and as we see the last 

 lingering few, which October has induced to tarry behind the 

 rest, we cannot help feeling regret that they, too, are going to 

 leave us ; that we are about to lose those little feathered friends 

 who have been the unconscious companions of our solitary 

 rambles through a Summer of our life that will never again 

 return ; and all we can do is silently to wish them God-speed in 

 their long distant flight to a sunnier clime ! Would that the 

 soul of man could fly away and return the same ! Alas ! 



"The voice of Spring it will again return, 

 But never more the ashes of the urn." 



But, as Burns says — 



" The trees now naked groaning 



Shall soon wi' leaves be hinging ; 

 The birdies dowie moaning 

 Shall a' be blithely singing, 

 And every flower be springing." 



For 



" Again the merry month o May 

 Has made our hills and valleys gay, 

 The birds rejoice in leafy bowers 

 While bees hum round the breathing flowers. 



