THE WILD SWAN. 283 



Maree, or, silent and asleep, riding at anchor around 

 Lomond's isles : 



" Tis now mid-day and, lo! in that mediter- 

 ranean a flock of wild swans ! Have they dropped 

 down from the ether into the water almost as pure as 

 ether, without having once folded their wings since 

 they rose aloft to shun the insupportable northern 

 snows, hundreds of leagues beyond the storm-swept 

 Orcades ? To look at the quiet creatures, you might 

 think that they had never left the circle of that little 

 loch. There they hang on their shadows, even as if 

 asleep in the sunshine ; and now stretching out their 

 long wings how apt for flight from clime to clime ! 

 Joyously they beat the liquid radiance, till to the land 

 flapping high rises the mist, and wide spreads the 

 foam almost sufficient for a rainbow. Safe are they 

 from all birds of prey. The osprey dashes down on 

 the teal ; the great erne, or sea-eagle, pounces on the 

 mallard, as he mounts from the bulrushes before the 

 wild swans sailing, with all wings hoisted, like a fleet; 

 but osprey nor eagle dares to try his talons on that 

 stately bird, for he is bold in his beauty, and for- 

 midable as he is fair. The pinions that swim and 

 soar can also smite ; and though the one be a lover of 

 war, the other of peace, yet of these it may be said 



' The eagle he is lord above, 

 The swan is lord below ! ' 



To have shot such a creature so large so white 

 so high-soaring, and on the winds of midnight 

 wafted so far, a creature that seemed not merely a 



