162 WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 



sweet apprehensions stirred within him when he hears, mel- 

 lowed through the gray rifts of Time the rhythm of 



" These birdes that I you devise 

 They song her song as faire and well 

 As angels doon espirituell." 



Ah, exquisite Idlers! would that in this busy, froward, 

 vexing " Play," the' only " acts" for those like you might be 

 to 



" Sit apart and sing, 



And smoothe your golden hair!" 



To the Bird, this gay, blissful Aiden is the reality of sun- 

 shiny life to the pale Poet, alas ! the " semblant shadow" 

 of a taunt. Yet, withal, his brave "faith of gentleness" 

 lives too far on high too self-sustained in its own quiet 

 might to lust for base appliances. The making melody to 

 feed his own heart's yearning brings to him 



" A greater content in course of true delight, 

 Than to be thirsty after tottering honor, 

 Or tie Ms treasure up in silken bags 

 To please the fool and death." 



But however charming these general " similitudes" of the 

 Birds and Poets may be to us, it is necessary for us to re- 

 member that there is such a thing as being " cloyed of 

 sweetness" known in the world ! We must descend to par- 

 ticulars in illustrating our theory of concordance. We have 

 said that song-birds were the Anti-types of they who " shall 

 be accounted Poet Kings." 



By this we mean that for each of the Human Poets who 

 has illustrated the external relations of Humanity distinctly 

 from himself or, in other words, who has seen and sung 

 of things as they are and been purely creative our mother 

 furnishes among Birds a distinct Anti-type. 



