264 THE NATURAL HISTORY 



non delectaretur ; sed quod ex music^ human! relinque- 

 retur in animo continens quaedam, attentionemque et 

 somnum conturbans agitatio ; dum ascensus, exscensus, 

 tenores, ac mutationes illae sonorum et consonantiarum 

 euntque redeuntque per phantasiam : — cum nihil tale 

 relinqui possit ex modulationibus avium, quae, quod non 

 sunt perinde a nobis imitabiles, non possunt perinde in- 

 ternam facultatem commovere." — Gassendus in Vita 

 Peireskii. 



This curious quotation strikes me much by so well 

 representing my own case, and by describing what I have 

 so often felt, but never could so well express. When I 

 hear fine music 1 am haunted with passages therefrom 

 night and day ; and especially at first waking, which, by 

 their importunity, give me more uneasiness than pleasure : 

 elegant lessons still tease my imagination, and recur 

 irresistibly to my recollection at seasons, and even when 

 I am desirous of thinking of more serious matters. 



I am, etc. 



LETTER LVn 



A RARE, and I think a new little bird frequents my 

 garden, which I have great reason to think is the petti- 

 chaps : it is common in some parts of the kingdom ; and 

 I have received formerly several dead specimens from 

 Gibraltar. This bird much resembles the white-throat, 

 but has a more white or rather silvery breast and belly ; 

 is restless and active, like the willow-wrens, and hops 

 from bough to bough, examining every part for food ; it 

 also runs up the stems of the crown-imperials, and, putting 

 its head into the bells of those flowers, sips the liquor 

 which stands in the nectarium of each petal. Sometimes 



