244 '^ BIRD LAND. 



ful enough for him, and does not need the garnish- 

 ing and drapery of an over-fanciful interpretation. 

 It is not my purpose, however, to eulogize Lowell's 

 poetry, even his poetry of Nature, in a general way, 

 or attempt an analysis of it, but simply to call atten- 

 tion to his metrical descriptions of the feathered 

 creation. Among all our American poets, he is the 

 limner par excellence of bird ways. It is true that 

 Emerson is somewhat rich in allusions to our feath- 

 ered denizens, and especially felicitous in his char- 

 acterizations ; but his references are briefer, more 

 casual, and far less frequent than those of Lowell, 

 who takes toll of them, one might almost say, 

 without stint ; for he says of himself, — 



" My heart, I cannot still it. 

 Nest that has song-birds in it." 



Lowell never speaks of the birds in a stereotyped 

 way, as many poets do, but mentions them by name, 

 and often describes their behavior with a deftness 

 and accuracy of touch that fairly enchant the 

 specialist in bird lore. Having given no little at- 

 tention to the study of birds, I feel prepared to say 

 that Lowell's hand is almost always sure when he 

 undertakes to depict the manners of the " feathered 

 republic of the groves." I have found, I think, 

 only one technical inaccuracy in all his numerous 

 allusions ; ^ and I believe I may say, without boasting, 



^ The one noted in the chapter on " The Wood-Pewee." 

 As the poem on this bird is quoted in that article, it has been 

 purposely omitted from this collection of passages. 



