THE CANARY. 3 



more attentive and more susceptible of 

 receiving, and retaining, foreign impressions, 

 becomes accordingly more social, tame, and 

 familiar. It is capable of gratitude, and 

 even of attachment; its caresses are en- 

 dearing, its little humours are innocent, and 

 its anger neither hurts nor offends ; its 

 education is easy, Mve rear it vi^ith pleasure, 

 because we are able to instruct it; it leaves 

 the melody of its natural note to listen to 

 the harmony of our voices and instruments ; 

 it applauds, it accompanies us, and repays 

 the pleasure it receives with interest. The 

 nightingale, more proud of its talent, seems 

 willing to preserve it in all its purity, at least 

 it appears very little to value ours, and it is 

 with the greatest difficulty it can be taught 

 to repeat any of our airs. The canary 

 can speak and whistle. The nightingale 

 despises our words as well as our songs, 

 and never fails to return to its own wild 

 wood notes ; its pipe is a master-piece of 

 nature, which human art can neither alter 

 nor improve. That of the canary is a 

 model of more pliant materials, which we 

 can mould at pleasure. This last, therefore, 



