38 love's meinie. 



With finch, with lark, and with archangel. 



He seemed as he were an angell. 



That down were comen from Heaven clear. 



Now, when I first read this bit of Chaucer, without 

 referring to the original, I was greatly delighted to 

 find that there was a bird in his time called an 

 archangel, and set to work, with brightly hopeful 

 industry, to find out what it was. I was a little dis- 

 comfited by finding that in old botany the word only 

 meant "dead-nettle," but was still sanguine about 

 my bird, till I found the French form descend, as 

 you have seen, into a mesangel, and finally into 

 mesange, which is a provincialism from ixaov, and 

 means, the smallest of birds — or, specially here, — a 

 titmouse. I have seldom had a less expected or 

 more ignominious fall from the clouds. 



37. The other birds, named here and in the pre- 

 vious description of the garden, are introduced, as 

 far as I can judge, nearly at random, and with no 

 precision of imagination like that of Aristophanes ; 

 but with a sweet childish delight in crowding as 

 many birds as possible into the smallest space. The 

 popinjay is always prominent ; and I want some of 

 you to help me (for I have not time at present for 

 the chase) in hunting the parrot down on his first 

 appearance in Europe. Just at this particular time 

 he contested favour even with the falcon ; and I 



