8 PLEASURES OF ORNITHOLOGY. 



Never a human footstep, are for man 



There utter'd — his high pleasure — man alone ? 



O blind to Nature's harmony and truth — 

 Her grand sublimities that ever mock 

 The puerile attempts of labouring art. 

 The puny efforts of the creature man ! 

 YE arrogant persuaders ! that to YOU, 

 Whatever be your Jiat, good or ill, 

 All, all must bend ? 



But wherefore thus ? Go YE, 

 Peruse the book of Nature,— ample tome ! 

 Which whoso runs may read, — which whoso reads. 

 If with sincerity and seeking truth, 

 Fails not to understand. There pleasures pure 

 Unfold in every page ; and there may YE 

 Learn wisdom's priceless lore : there too the true. 

 The beautiful abound, the elegant, 

 The graceful; curve and undulating line; — 

 Variety in all her thousand forms, 

 Teeming with active life. 



Much may the Birds 

 Instruct you ; from the bright yet tiny elf. 

 The Trochilid, (') to that gigantic shape 



(0 Trochilid, a bird of the Humming-bird tribe. 



