224 NIGHTINGALE. 



until the whole air seemed filled with the 

 sweet volumes they uttered. This they 

 continued for some time, when one of 

 them fainted away and died. His little 

 heart seemed to have swelled with the 

 spirit of song until it bursted, and his soul 

 passed away. It was truly touching to 

 see the sweet warbler die thus, in the 

 midst of his song and it was not wholly 

 unnatural to indulge a faint idea, that so 

 sweet a vocal strain did not end with the 

 little bird. It was strongly calculated to 

 inspire credulity in the metempsychosis, 

 and may not the spiritual part of this ex- 

 traordinary feathered vocalist yet inhabit 

 the body of some Malibran? Who knows?" 

 "The above is from the Richmond Com- 

 piler. We regard it as touching and beau- 

 tiful. The incident would form a fine 

 theme for a poet. The Death Song of the 

 Nightingale! The disembodied spirit of 

 Mrs. Hemans, or of Miss Laiidon, should 

 be invoked for such a strain! Daughters 

 of genius, who may forget them! They 



