REFLECTION. 



think, from what has been stated, that love is not 

 the only incentive of the song in birds. 



Every lover of nature delights in the vocal 

 concerts of our woods and hedge-rows, and dull 

 would be our walks and rides in the spring and 

 summer without them. They seem to have been 

 intended by our benevolent Creator to cheer the 

 poor labourer of the fields during his daily task ; 

 to remind him that he, as well as the songsters 

 around him, are under His especial care, and also 

 to afford a lesson to the more prosperous, that 

 they, like the fowls of the air, should offer up 

 their daily tribute of gratitude for the blessings 

 bestowed upon them. 



All birdes with tunefull bosoms sing, 

 The blackbirde makes the woodes to ring : 

 The thrush, the jay, and she in spring 

 Who rues the rape of Thrace's king. 



Their shrill notes to the musicke plying, 

 Then all the different flowers descrying, 

 The odours in abundance flying, 

 Prov'd it the bowre of love's soft-lying.* 



* OLD POEM. 



