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TO 



THE LADIES 



Who have so kindly patronized 



THE SOCIETY 



FOR PREVENTING CRUELTY TO ANIMALS, 



THE FOLLOWING 



SPEECH OF THE HOUSE-SPARROW 



Is respectfully inscribed 



By the Author. 



Why mute the Lark on themes like these ;— 

 Why silent are the Partridges ; — 

 Why slumber Sea-birds when among" 

 Them death, disasters, stalk— a throng? 

 Why sleeps remonstrance, when proud Man 

 Walks forth, the monarch of a span, 

 And lifts the fatal tube on high, 

 Then, 'midst our tribe, lets ruin fly ?* 



* The very common practice of firing at large flocks of birds 

 deserves severe animadversion. Larks, House- Sparrows, Par- 

 tridges, and various other gregarious tribes, are too often sub- 

 jected to this wanton and merciless indulgence in what has been 

 named Sport. It is difficult in speaking or in writing of such 



