NIGHTINGALE. 635 



In another place he styles it the solemn bird: and agaii 

 speaks, of it, 



As the wakeful bird, 

 Sings darkling, and in shadiest covert hid, 

 Tunes her nocturnal note. 



The reader must excuse a few more quotations from the same 

 poet, on the same subject; the first describes the approach of 

 evening, and the retiring of all animals to their repose : 



Silence accompanied : for beast and bird, 

 Triey to their grassy rouch. these to their neste, 

 Were slunk : alt but the wakeful nightingale. 

 She all night long her amorous descant sung. 



When Eve passed the irksome night preceding her fall, she, in 

 a dream, imagines herself thus reproached with losing the beauties 

 of the night, by indulging top long a repose: 



Why shep'st thou, Eve ? now is the pleasant time 

 The cool, the silent, save where silence yields 

 To the night-warbling bird, that now awake, 

 Tunes sweetest his love.labour'd song. 



The same birds sing their nuptial song, and lull them to rest. 

 How rapturous are the following lines ! how expressive of the deli- 

 cate sensibility of our Milton's tender ideas I 



The earth 

 Gave sign of gratulation, and each hill ; 

 Joyous the birds : fresh gales and gentle airs, 

 Whisper'd it to the woods, and from their wingi 

 Flung rose, flung odours from the spicy shrub, 

 Disporting, till the amorous bird of night 

 Sung spousal, and bid haste the evening star, 

 On his hill top to light the bridal lamp. 



These lull'd by nightingales, embracing slept; 

 And on their naked limbs the flowery roof 

 Shower'd roses, which the morn repaired. 



