142 THE WREN WITH LITTLE QUILL. 



courting the female. So, when Valentine asks Speed, 

 " How know you that I am in love ?" he gives, amongst 

 other reasons, that he had learnt " to relish a love-song 

 like a robin-redbreast." — Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act ii. 

 Sc. i. 



The meaning of the following dialogue does not seem 

 quite clear : — 



" Hotspur. Come, sing. 

 Lady Percy. I will not sing. 



Hotspur. ' Tis the next way to turn tailor or be 

 redbreast teacher!' 



Henry IV. Part I. Act iii. Sc. i. 



Possibly the allusion may be to the " recorder," by which 

 instrument birds were taught to sing.* Hotspur pays a 

 high compliment to the vocal powers of Lady Percy by 

 insinuating that her voice would excel the recorder ; and 

 as the bird most frequently taught to pipe is the bullfinch, 

 it is not improbable that this was the bird intended under 

 the title of •' redbreast," and not the robin. 



Intimately associated with the robin, as we have before 

 remarked, is — * 



" The wren, with little quill." 



Midsummer Night's Dream — Song. 



It must often have struck others, as it has us, that for 

 so small a throat, the wren has a wonderfully loud song. 



* See ante, p. 129. 



