CHANTICLEER 235 



seem better than the others. This is partly the 

 effect of distance, which clarifies and softens 

 sound, just as distance gives indistinctness of out- 

 line and ethereal blueness to things that meet the 

 sight. To objects beautiful in themselves, in 

 graceful lines and harmonious proportions and 

 colouring, the haziness imparts an additional 

 grace; but it does not make beautiful the objects 

 which are ugly in themselves, as, for instance, an 

 ugly square house. So in the etherealizing effect 

 of distance on sound, when so loud a sound as the 

 crowing of a strong-lunged cock becomes dreamy 

 and tender at a distance of one hundred yards, 

 there must be good musical elements in it to begin 

 with. I do not remark this dreaminess in the 

 notes of other birds, some crowing at an equal 

 distance, others still further away. All natural 

 music is heard best at a distance ; like the chiming 

 of bells, and the music of the flute, and the wild 

 confused strains of the bagpipes, for among arti- 

 ficial sounds these come the nearest to those made 

 by nature. The "shrill sharps" of the thrush must 

 be softened by distance to charm; and the sky- 

 lark, when close at hand, has both shrill and 

 harsh sounds scarcely pleasing. He must mount 



