806 LETTER XLV11I. 



no one contributes more to the pleasure of the human 

 species. 



The lark genus includes twenty-eight different 

 species. Of these the sky-lark, and next to that the 

 wood-lark, are the most common in this country : but 

 the tit-lark and the field-lark are also British bird^ 

 All the lark genus is musical ; but to enjoy their mu- 

 sic in perfection we must leave them in possession of 

 their native liberty. The song of any bird in capti- 

 vity produces unpleasant sensations in a feeling heart. 

 It is the landscape, the grove, the golden-eyed morn, 

 the fluttering from branch to branch, the soaring in 

 the air, the answering of the young, that gives true 

 relish to the enrapturing strain. These united im- 

 prove each other, and exhrleratc the mind that is en- 

 dowed with sensibility and refinement. Th whole 

 ecenery of nature scarcely aflbrd any thing more pleas- 

 ing than to see the lark warbling on the wing, and 

 hear it raising its notes as it soars aloft, and bv de- 

 grees becomes invisible : it seems, indeed, to excite 

 in the mind an idea of something celestial, when the 

 most melodious strains continue to charm the ear 

 while the musician is lost in the immense heights 

 above. 



The sky-lark and the wood-lark are larger than the 

 sparrow, but not so large as the thrush. They have 

 nothing particularly ornamental in their plumage, 

 the colour of 5 which is a sort of unvarying dappled 

 grey. Their delightful music, however, entitles 

 them to the second, if not to the first, rank among the 

 feathered choristers. Two species of larks are re- 

 marked as the only birds that chaunt while on the 



THE NIGHTINGALE 



is the most famous of all the songsters of the groves, 

 and has so long been celebrated rbr the charms of its 

 music, that the idea of harmony seems to be associat- 

 ed with its name. This charming bird was so admired 

 by the ancients, that every allusion to it was consi- 

 dered as an embellishment to poetical description. 

 7'he melody of the nightingale cannot be better dc- 



