A GOOD-BY TO WINTER 217 



better ornithologists than their owner, if 

 he is their owner) kept themselves wide 

 awake. If that sweet voice, " Purity, 

 purity " (with all bird lovers I thank Mr. 

 Burroughs for the word) if that heavenly 

 voice, the gentlest of prophets, was on the 

 breeze, they meant to hear it. 



They heard nothing, but that is not to say 

 that they listened to no purpose. They 

 heard nothing, and they heard much; for 

 there is an ear within the ear, and the new 

 year's voice which is the bluebird's was 

 in the deepest and truest sense already 

 audible. The ornithologist failed to catch 

 it ; for him Sialia sialis is still to look for ; 

 but the other man was in better luck. 



The " new year's voice," I say ; for the 

 year begins with spring. We had the sea- 

 sons in their true order when we were school- 

 children "spring, summer, autumn or 

 fall, and winter." It must have been some 

 very old and prosy chronologist that ar- 

 ranged their progression as our almanacs 

 now give it. The young are better in- 

 structed. Does not the Scripture say, 

 " The last shall be first " ? 



