98 . BIRD-LAND ECHOES. 



something" which the critics prate about, but have 

 never yet defined, is a myth. There prevails, how- 

 ever, among Quakers, the same desire to appear to 

 be what they are not as obtains among all conditions 

 of men, of whatever race or country. 



How convenient are exceptions ! I was taken, 

 when a mere child, by an old Friend who could 

 cleverly imitate many a bird-note, to hear the wood- 

 thrush sing ; and how often did he send me hither 

 and yon to look for the birds that I heard, but saw 

 not ! and little wonder, for his ventriloquism was the 

 source of all the sounds that I tried to follow ; and 

 how he laughed a wholesome, loud roll of merri- 

 ment when I at last discovered the secret ! 



At various times I have praised the wood-thrush, 

 which is a ridiculous assumption on any one's 

 part, when we reflect upon it, and suppose I shall 

 be ready yet again if called upon to do so ; but why 

 should I? These frantic efforts to put music into 

 print are painfully weak and unavailing. The proper 

 comment is : go into the woods and hear the bird ; 

 not simply stay at home and hear about it Is not 

 this the proper purpose of a book describing the out- 

 door world : to offer an inducement to tarry longer 

 in the garden and less beneath the roof-tree, to take 

 a walk with open ears as well as open eyes ? And 

 that walk is well taken that has a singing thrush at 

 the far end of it. If you do not return wiser, you 

 will at least return happier, unless you are some path- 

 ological specimen with but a remnant of vitality not 

 worth the having. 



