CHAP. i. THE FIRST DAY. 19 



voices, bid welcome to the cheerful spring, and in their fixed 

 months warble forth such ditties as no art or instrument can 

 reach to ? 



Nay, the smaller birds also do the like in their particular 

 seasons, as, namely, the leverock, the titlark, the little linnet, 

 and the honest robin, that loves mankind both alive and 

 dead. 



But the nightingale, another of my airy creatures, breathes 

 such sweet loud music out of her little instrumental throat, that 

 it might make mankind to think miracles are not ceased. He that 

 at midnight, when the very labourer sleeps securely, should hear, 

 as_I have very often, the clear airs, the sweet descants, the 

 natural rising and falling, the doubling and redoubling of her 

 voice, might well be lifted above earth, and say, " Lord, what 

 music hast thou provided for the saints in heaven, when thou 

 affordest bad men such music on earth ? " 



And this makes me the less to wonder at the many aviaries in 

 Italy, or at the great charge of Varro's aviary, the ruins of which 

 are yet to be seen in Rome, and is still so famous there, that it 

 is reckoned for one of those notables which men of foreign 

 nations either record, or lay up in their memories, when they 

 return from travel. 



This for the birds of pleasure, p f ^i^h very m;irh more 

 might be said. Mynpx^ shall hp nf hirrU nf political use. I 

 think 'tis not to be douJDted that swallows have been taught to 

 carry letters between two armies. But it is certain, that when 

 the Turks besieged Malta or Rhodes (I now remember not 

 which it was), pigeons are then related to carry and recarry 

 letters. And Mr. G. Sandys, in his Travels, relates it to be 

 done between Aleppo and Babylon. But if that be disbelieved, 

 it is not to be doubted that the dove was sent out of the ark by 

 Noah, to give him notice of land, when to him all appeared 

 to be sea; and the dove proved a faithful and comfortable 

 messenger. And for the sacrifices of the law, a pair of turtle- 

 doves or young pigeons were as well accepted as costly bulls 

 and rams. And when God would feed the prophet Elijah after a 

 kind of miraculous manner, he did it by ravens, who brought 



