FOURTH JOURNEY. 229 



cheapness of the publications, ought to raise the name 

 of Philadelphia to an elevated situation in the temple 

 of knowledge. 



From the press of this city came Wilson's famous 

 " Ornithology." By observing the birds in their native 

 haunts, he has been enabled to purge their history of 

 numberless absurdities, which inexperienced theorists 

 had introduced into it. It is a pleasing and a brilliant 

 work. We have no description of birds in any European 

 publication that can come up to this. By perusing 

 " Wilson's Ornithology" attentively before I left Eng- 

 land, I knew where to look for the birds, and imme- 

 diately recognised them in their native land, 

 white-headed Since his time, I fear that the white- 

 headed eagles have been much thinned. I 

 was perpetually looking out for them, but saw very 

 few. One or two came now and then, and soared in lofty 

 flight over the Falls of Niagara. The Americans are 

 proud of this bird in effigy, and their hearts rejoice 

 when its banner is unfurled. Could they not then be 

 persuaded to protect the white-headed eagle, and allow 

 it to glide in safety over its own native forests ? Were 

 I an American, I should think I had committed a kind 

 of sacrilege in killing the white-headed eagle. The Ibis 

 was held sacred by the Egyptians ; the Hollanders 

 protect the stork >; the vulture sits unmolested on the 

 top of the houses in the city of Angustura ; and Robin 

 Redbreast, for his charity, is cherished by the English :- 



" No burial these pretty babes 



Of any man receives, 

 Till Robin Redbreast painfully 

 Did cover them with leaves." * 



The fault against grammar is lost in the beauty of the idea. 



