240 THROUGH LIBRARY WINDOWS 



the Snow-Drop and the early Primrose bloom- 

 ing along the streams, with the orchid and yel- 

 low violet and the Blackbird conspicuous as a 

 singer! Shakespeare was ever painstaking in 

 his use of Nature, as in everything else. His 

 allusions to natural objects are always inciden- 

 tal to his purposes, but they reveal the loving 

 and careful observer. Trowbridge mentions 

 the Pewee, Blue Bird, Oriole, Robin, Bobolink, 

 Thrush, Grouse, Kingfisher and others and 

 every one is accurately noted in color and song 

 and habit. His "Pewee" is a most popular 

 bird poem and true to the bird. Emerson is 

 exact in all his references, and so abundant are 

 they one may almost study our flora and fauna 

 in his pages. His "Tit-Mouse" is a pet study 

 in our winter woods, and his "Humble-Bee" in 

 our summer fields. How he loves the pine tree, 

 he sees more of its delightful mysteries and life 

 than any poet or naturalist; his "May-Day" is 

 abounding in spring sounds and tokens. Both 

 Bryant and Longfellow put the Spring Blue 

 Bird high up in the lofty elms but that place be- ; 

 longs to the Oriole and Robin, the Blue Bird 

 prefers a humbler perch. Lowell has him on a 

 post in the fence. 



