142 THE WREN WITH LITTLE QUILL. 



courting the female. So, when Valentine asks Speed, 

 " How know you that I am in love ?" he gives, amongst 

 other reasons, that he had learnt " to relish a love-song 

 like a robin-redbreast." Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act ii. 

 Sc. i. 



The meaning of the following dialogue does not seem 

 quite clear : 



" Hotspur. Come, sing. 

 Lady Percy. I will not sing. 



Hotspur. ' Tis the next way to turn tailor or be 

 redbreast teacher'' 



Henry IV. Part I. Act iii. Sc. i. 



Possibly the allusion may be to the " recorder," by which 

 instrument birds were taught to sing.* Hotspur pays a 

 high compliment to the vocal powers of Lady Percy by 

 insinuating that her voice would excel the recorder ; and 

 as the bird most frequently taught to pipe is the bullfinch, 

 it is not improbable that this was the bird intended under 

 the title of " redbreast," and not the robin. 



Intimately associated with the robin, as we have before 

 remarked, is 



" The wren, with little quill." 



Midsummer Night's Dream Song. 



It must often have struck others, as it has us, that for 

 so small a throat, the wren has a wonderfully loud song. 



* See ante, p. 129. 



