THE NIGHTINGALE. 307 



By way of conclusion, I will add the beautiful, if somewhat 

 exaggerated description, of the Nightingale's song, given by 

 BTJFFON, in his Natural History : 



" The name of the Nightingale," says he, " recalls to the 

 memory of every man who has not lost the capacity of simple 

 and natural enjoyment, the remembrance of some beautiful 

 spring night, when the sky was clear, the air tranquil, and 

 nature lay in expectant silence, as he listened enraptured to 

 the songstress of the grove. Several birds may be mentioned, 

 whose song in one or more respects deserves to be compared 

 with that of the Nightingale. The Lark, the Siskin, the 

 Chaffinch, the "Whitethroat, the Linnet, the Goldfinch, the 

 Blackbird, the Solitary Thrush, the American Mocking-Bird. 

 are all heard with pleasure as long as the Nightingale is silent. 

 Some of these have as beautiful a tone ; others as soft and pure 

 a warble ; others, again, as sustained and melancholy a note as 

 she ; but it is in the union of all these excellencies, and the 

 astonishing variety of her song, that the Nightingale bears away 

 the palm from them all ; so that their most perfect perform- 

 ance appears only a detached and incomplete portion of hers. 

 She is always enchanting, and never repeats herself slavishly ; 

 for every repetition of her song is varied by a fresh accent, and 

 embellished with new grace. When this Queen of the Spring 

 begins her hymn to Nature, she commences with a half-fearful 

 prelude, in low, undecided notes, as if trying the capabilities 

 of the instrument, and intent on arresting the attention of the 

 hearers. By degrees she becomes more decided ; her courage 

 and her inspiration increase, and soon the full harmonies of 

 her incomparable throat are poured forth ; sonorous bursts, 

 light hovering shakes and trills, in which ease and purity are 

 united ; a subdued inward murmur, whose place in the scale 

 the ear seeks in vain, but which is all the better adapted for 

 a back ground to the clear distinct notes ; runs, as rapid as 

 lightning, uttered with amazing power, and often even with 

 a tasteful ruggedness ; mournful cadences, hardly separable 

 from one another, yet full of expression ; enchanting, penetra- 

 ting tones, the veritable sighs of love and pleasure which rush 

 from the heart, and speak to the heart, so that the heart over- 

 flows with emotions, and sinks in delightful languor. In the 

 passionate tones, it is as impossible to mistake the expression 

 of the feelings of the happy husband, as not to detect in the more 



