ON THE SINGING OF BIRDS. 35 



follows thjat ^ composition may be formed for 

 two piping bulfinches, in two parts, so as to 

 constitute true harmony, tliough either of the 

 birds may happen to begin, or stop, when they 

 please. 



I iiave therefore procured such an ingenious 

 composition, by a very able musician,* >i'hich I 

 send herewith; and it need scarcely be ob- 

 served, that there cannot possibly be much 

 variety in the part of the second bulfinch. 



Though several birds have great musical 

 pow ers, yet they seem to have no delicacy of 

 sensations, as the human singer hath; and 

 therefore the very best of them cannot be 

 taught to exceed the insipidity of the upper 

 part of the flute stop of an organ, f which hath : 

 not the modern improvement of a swell. 



They are easily imposed upon by that most 

 imperfect of all instruments, a bird-call, which ' 



* Mr. Zeidler, who plays the vlolincello at Covent Garde?i 

 vtjje.atre. 



"f Lord Bacon mentions, that In the instrument called a 

 regall (which was a species of portable organ) there was a night' 

 ingale stop, in which water was made use oi to produce the ' 



stronger imitation of this bird's tone. See Cent. II. ejfper. 172. 

 Though this instrument, as well as its nightingale stop, is now 

 disused, I have procured an organ pipe to be jmnjersed pajrtly in 

 water, which, when blown into, hath produced a tp/^e y.ery 

 similar to that of birds. 



2 A 2 



