THE RA VEN, 287 



He was as playful as a kitten ; he showed vast aptitude in learning 

 to talk, and he was so correct an imitator of sounds, that I had every 

 hope of teaching him the tune which Goldsmith informs us he heard 

 a raven sing with " great distinctness, truth, and humour." Marco 

 was fond of seeing a carriage approach the house. He would attend 

 company on their arrival at the bridge, and wait near the gate until 

 their return, and then he would go part of the way back with them. 

 He was a universal favourite, notwithstanding that at times his evil 

 genius prompted him to commit almost unpardonable excesses ; so 

 much so, that I often said to him in the words of the poet 



'* Difficilis facilis, jucundus acerbus es idem." 



" In all thy humours, whether grave or mellow, 

 Thou art such a touchy, testy, pleasant fellow ; 

 Hast so much wit, and mirth, and glee about thee, 

 There is no living with thee, nor without thee." 



One day he took a sudden dislike to an old duck, with which, till 

 then, he had been upon the best of terms, and he killed her in an 

 instant. The coachman and Marco were inseparable companions ; 

 but at last they had a serious and a fatal quarrel. Marco bit him 

 severely in the thumb, upon which this ferocious son of the whip 

 seized the bird by the throat and deliberately strangled it. I learned 

 from poor Marco, that birds will occasionally do that which I had 

 always supposed to be solely confined to quadrupeds. When Marco 

 could find a heap of sand, or when there was snow upon the ground, 

 he would throw himself on his back and rub himself on the sand or 

 snow, just as dogs are wont to do when they fall in with carrion. 



No bird in the creation exhibits finer symmetry than the raven. 

 His beautiful proportions and his glossy plumage are calculated to 

 strike the eye of every beholder with admiration. He is by far the 

 largest of all the pie tribe in Europe ; and, according to our notion 

 of things, no bird can be better provided with the means of making 

 his way through the world ; for his armour is solid, his spirit uncon- 

 querable, and his strength surprising. 



Necromancers of old were noted for their attention to the move- 

 ments of the raven ; and they are said to have counted no less than 

 sixty-five different inflexions of his voice. His sable robe and hollow 



