NIGHTINGALE. 219 



tions which poets and historians have 

 given to us of this wonderful songster be 

 true, he well deserves his pre-eminence. 



His song is said to commence at sun- 

 set, when all the rest of the world is 

 slowly sinking into silence; and, as the 

 last rays of the red-sun fall on the moun- 

 tain tops, and the crested coronals of the 

 lofty forest trees, crowning them as it 

 were with a halo of flame, it rises in its 

 fullest perfection. Then, the Nightingale 

 from his perch, warbles on until the God 

 of day rises in the east. His song is at 

 once most melodious and expressive, now 

 swelling into loudness and splendour of 

 tone, it the next instant sinks into the 

 most soothing softness and exquisitiveness 

 of expression; or, is low, faint and mur- 

 muring as the last dying tones of a far 

 distant echo, and then bursting into vio- 

 lent and rapid articulation, he breathes at 

 once anger, passion, love, delight and joy, 

 in the constant and ever varying changes 

 which he pours out, like water ever gush- 



