1 34 May — The Songs of Birds. 



XXVI. 



White of Selborne — The Songs of Birds — Canaries — Birds in Liberty 

 — Our Love for the Songs of Birds Poetical and not Musical — The 

 Warbling of Birds really Discordant — Disillusion — Reason and Sen- 

 timent — Condescension of the Divine Mind — Poets and Birds — 

 Mingled Warbling — The Dominant Songster — Chaucer's Fancy of 

 the Religious Singing-birds — The Throstle— The Peacock — The 

 Owl — The 'Romaunt of the Rose.' 



IT is just a hundred years since Gilbert White of 

 Selborne lamented the 'frequent return of deaf- 

 ness ' that incommoded him, and deprived him of 

 much enjoyment and many opportunities of observa- 

 tion. Especially did he lament that when this deaf- 

 ness was upon him he ' lost all the pleasing notice and 

 little intimations arising from rural sounds/ so that May 

 was ■ as silent and mute with respect to the notes of 

 birds as August.' Here, indeed, was a sad loss to one 

 who so deeply appreciated the pleasures of a country 

 life, and who used his senses so well for the work of a 

 naturalist while he possessed them. All true rural poets 

 and observers have loved the songs of birds. There are 

 occasionally to be found beings unfortunate enough not 

 to enjoy these melodies, and I know one wretch who 

 says he does not much care for his country-house at a 

 certain season of the year ' on account of that bother- 

 some noise of nightingales.' Certainly this bird-music 



