BIRD MUSIC 143 



whose life or its early, most happy, and impressible 

 period has been spent apart from rural scenes. The 

 voice may be agreeable if the quality is good, but it is 

 expressionless. 



To others, especially to those who have lived with 

 and have been lovers of Nature from the cradle, even 

 a slight bird sound may produce a magical effect, and 

 I here recall an experience of the kind which I had 

 two or three summers ago at Harrogate. 



I should say, judging from its fine appearance and 

 the numbers of fine people frequenting it, that Harro- 

 gate must be highly esteemed by town-loving folk ; 

 it is a parasitic town nevertheless, and on that account 

 alone distasteful to me ; and to make matters worse 

 I there found myself in a numerous company of the 

 sick pilgrims from all parts of the land to that pool 

 in which they fondly hoped they would be cured of 

 their ills. Perhaps they did not all hope for a com- 

 plete cure, as there was a very large proportion of well- 

 nourished, middle-aged, and elderly gentlemen with 

 hard red or port-wine faces and watery eyes who walked 

 or hobbled painfully, some with the aid of two sticks, 

 others with crutches, while many were seen in bath- 

 chairs. I took it that these well-to-do well-fed gentle- 

 men were victims of gout and rheumatism. 



In this crowd of sufferers mixed with fashionables 

 I was alone, out of my element, depressed, and should 

 have been miserable but for a small bird, or rather of 

 a small small bird voice. Every day when I went to 

 the well in the gardens to drink a tumbler of magnesia 



