BIRDS IN A VILLAGE 47 



ness of life and of his own expression, and 

 languished somewhat at the close ; its effect is like 

 that of the perfume of the honeysuckle, infecting 

 the mind with a soft, delicious languor, a wish 

 to lie perfectly still and drink of the same sweet- 

 ness again and again in larger measure. 



To some who are familiar with this by no 

 means uncommon little bird, it may seem that I 

 am overstating the charm of its melody. I can 

 only say that the mood I was then in made me 

 very keenly appreciative; also that I have never 

 heard any other individual of this species able to 

 produce precisely the same effect. We know that 

 there are quite remarkable differences in the songs 

 of birds of the same species, that among several 

 that appear to be perfect and to sing alike one 

 will possess a charm above the other. The truth 

 is they are not alike; they affect us differently, 

 but the sense is not fine enough or not sufficiently 

 trained to detect the cause. The poet's words 

 may be used of this natural melody as well as 

 of the works of art: 



"O the little more and how much it is I" 



