CHA.P. I.] THE rillST DAY. 51 



herself and those that hear her ; she then quits the earth, 

 and sings as she ascends higher into the air, and having ended 

 her heavenly employment, grows then mute and sad, to think 

 she must descend to the dull earth, which she would not 

 touch but for necessity. 



How do the blackbird and thrassel with their melodious 

 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 avia- 

 ries in Italy, or at the great charge of Yarro's aviary, 2 the 

 ruins of which are yet to be seen in Home, 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. 



1 This beautiful and universally admired passage on the nightingale 

 has been frequently quoted ; amongst others by Sir Walter Scott, Sir 

 Humphry Davy, and the excellent Bishop Home, in his "Exposition of the 

 Psalms." (See Psalm civ.) Dr. Drake, in his "Literary Hours," says that 

 this description of the nightingale surpasses all that poets have written on 

 the subject; and Headley, in his "Beauties of Ancient English Poetry," 

 has made a similar remark. The following lines by Drummond of Haw- 

 thornden were probably well known to Walton. 



" Sweet artless songster, thou my mind dost raise 



To airs of spheres, yes, and to angels' lays." ED. 

 8 An account of Varro's passion for birds, and his extensive aviaries, 

 will be found in Hallewell's Apology, p. 388 ; in Varro's book J)e Re 

 Riisticd, lib. iii., and various Biographical Dictionaries. ED. 



E 2 



