ON THE SINGING OF BIRDS. 3S9 



the notes, or song, which is supposed to be pe- 

 culiar to each species, I shall now make some 

 general observations on their singing; though 

 perhaps the subject may appear to many a very 

 minute one. 



Every poet, indeed, speaks with raptures of 

 the harmony of the groves ; yet those even, 

 who have good musical ears, seem to pay little 

 attention to it, but as a pleasing noise. 



I am also convinced (though it may seem 

 rather paradoxical), that the inhabitants of 

 London distinguish more accurately, and know 

 more on this head, than of all the other parts 

 of the island taken together. 



This seems to arise from two causes. 



The first is, that we have not more musical 

 ideas which are innate, than we have of lan- 

 guage ; and therefore those even, who have the 

 happiness to have organs which are capable of 

 receiving a gratification from this sixth sense 

 (as it hath been called by some) require, how- 

 ever, the best instruction. 



The orchestra of the opera, which is confined 

 to the metropolis, hath diffused a good style of 

 playing over the other bands of the capital, 

 which is, by degrees, communicated to the 

 fidler and ballad-singer in the streets ; the or- 

 gans in every church, as well as those of the 



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