CHANTICLEER 235 



seem better than the others. This is partly the 

 effect of distance, which clarifies and softens 

 sound, just as distance gives Indistinctness of out- 

 line and ethereal blueness to things that meet the 

 sight. To objects beautiful in themselves, in 

 graceful lines and harmonious proportions and 

 colouring, the haziness imparts an additional 

 grace; but it does not make beautiful the objects 

 which are ugly in themselves, as, for instance, an 

 ugly square house. So in the ethereallzing effect 

 of distance on sound, w^hen so loud a sound as the 

 crowing of a strong-lunged cock becomes dreamy 

 and tender at a distance of one hundred yards, 

 there must be good musical elements in it to begin 

 with. I do not remark this dreaminess in the 

 notes of other birds, some crowing at an equal 

 distance, others still further away. All natural 

 music is heard best at a distance ; like the chiming 

 of bells, and the music of the flute, and the wild 

 confused strains of the bagpipes, for among arti- 

 ficial sounds these come the nearest to those made 

 by nature. The "shrill sharps" of the thrush must 

 be softened by distance to charm; and the sky- 

 lark, when close at hand, has both shrill and 

 harsh sounds scarcely pleasing. He must mount 



