

"A BLOT UPON THE BOOK OF LIFE" 121 



to popular ideas about the raven. Nothing that 

 was sad was supposed to be above, nothing beneath, 

 his notice. 



" Saepe sinistra cava praedixit ab ilice cornix," 

 cries the shepherd in the Georgics, wise after the 

 event, who has lost his twin lambs. 



"That raven on the left-hand oak, 

 Curse on his ill-betiding croak, 

 Bodes me no good," 



cries the old English housewife, as she is driving 

 her old mare to market, laden with eggs ; and the 

 warning had scarcely been given and received, before 

 down came the old mare, and all her eggs were 

 smashed.* Spencer, the poets' poet, speaks of the 

 bird as 



" The hoarse night raven, trump of doleful drere." 

 Hood describes him as 



" A cursed bird too crafty to be shot, 

 That always cometh with his soot-black coat 

 To make hearts dreary, for he is a blot 

 Upon the book of life." 



Southey tells us that 



" The raven croaked as she sat at her meat, 

 And the old woman knew what he said ; 

 And she grew pale at the raven's tale, 

 And sickened and went to her bed." 



* Waterton, Essays, p. 288. 



