1 1 6 Up in the Morning Early. 



himself that, after all, his tree yielded him as much fruit 

 as he wanted. But then Goethe did not have some 

 species of English birds to deal with, else we are 

 afraid his moral of toleration and contentment would 

 not have been so comfortable and comforting. And it 

 is in the early morning that the birds can do most 

 execution in this line — when they are not watched or 

 interrupted. 



But we rather abruptly left the little sparrows in 

 their friendly scoldings (or is it their way of saying 

 " good morning " to each other, and repeating and 

 repeating it ceaselessly ?), though they have certainly 

 not left off their chattering. It still goes on with an 

 insistent monotony that would speedily become merely 

 oppressive were it not that soon it is mixed up with 

 other sounds. 



The blue-tits and the robins are the only birds of 

 their size who can hold the sparrows at bay; and, 

 incredible as it may seem, the bold effrontery of the 

 sparrow will sometimes avail with it against much 

 larger birds. I have seen a blackbird at early morning 

 on my lawn, after a spell of dry weather, with much 

 work and effort secure a small worm or two for her 

 young brood, and have them daringly carried away by 

 the sparrows to theirs. 



The trees in clumps at some parts seem literally alive 

 — the leaves stir and flutter as if there was a fitful wind, 

 which there is not, for it is perfectly calm ; with now 

 and then a sort of subdued susurration, like a dying 

 sigh, so soft and gentle that you are never perfectly 

 sure that it does not exist more in your own fancy, 

 bred of the hush of expectation, than of aught else. 

 It is not enough, at all events, to stir the leaves in 

 the trees as we see them stirred. That is due simply 



