THE REDBREAST*. 23? 



Annual visits Familiarity. 



and these are either the young and inexperi- 

 enced, or some which can derive support from 

 the slender resources of the winter. In that sea- 

 son they visit our dwellings, and seek the warm- 

 est and most sheltered situations; and, if any 

 one still continue in the woods, it becomes the 

 companion of the faggot-maker, cherishes itself 

 at his fire, pecks at his bread, and flutters the 

 whole day round him, chirping its slender pip. 

 But when the cold grows more severe, and thick 

 snow covers the ground, it approaches our houses, 

 and taps on the window with its bill, as if to en- 

 treat an asylum, which is cheerfully granted; and 

 it repays the favour by the most amiable famili- 

 arity, gathering the crumbs from the table, dis- 

 tinguishing affectionately the people of the house, 

 and assuming a warble, not indeed so rich as that 

 of the spring, but more delicate. This it retains 

 through all the rigors of the season; to hail each 

 day the kindness of its host, and the sweetness 

 of its retreat. There it remains tranquil, till the 

 returning spring awakens new desires, and invites 

 to other pleasures : it now becomes uneasy, and 

 impatient to recover its liberty." 



The annual visits of this little favourite, are 

 very beautifully described by Thomson, in the 

 following lines : 



" The red-breast, sacred to the household gods, 

 Wisely regardful of th' embroiling sky, 

 In joyless fields, and thorny thickets, leares 

 His shivering mate, and pays to trusted man 



