46 love's meinie. 



its nest. A creature, observe, whose life is to be passed 

 in tlie air ; whose beak and throat are sha23ed with the 

 fineness of a net for the catching of gnats ; and whose 

 feet, in the most perfect of the species, are so feeble that 

 it is called the Footless Swallow, and cannot stand a 

 moment on the ground with comfort. Of all land birds, 

 the one that has least to do with the earth ; of all, the 

 least disposed, and the least able, to stop to pick anything 

 up. What will it build with? Gossamer, w^e should 

 say, — thistledown, — anything it can catch floating, like 

 flies. 



But it builds with stiff clay. 



53. And observe its chosen place for building also. 

 You would think, by its play in the air, that not only of 

 all birds, but of all creatures, it most delighted in space 

 and freedom. You would fancy its notion of the place 

 for a nest w^ould be the openest field it could find ; that 

 anything like confinement would be an agony to it ; that 

 it would almost exj^ire of horror at the sight of a black 

 hole. 



And its favourite home is down a chimney. 



54. Kot for your hearth's sake, nor for your company's. 

 Do not think it. The bird will love you if you treat it 

 kindly ; is as frank and friendly as bird can be ; but it 

 does not, more than others, seek your society. It comes 

 to your house because in no wild wood, nor rough rock, 

 can it find a cavity^ close enongh to j^lease it. It comes 

 for the blessedness of imprisonment, and the solemnity 



