EARLY RISING. 
39 
scape ; when the lark at heaven's gate is singing a matin 
song, to which we may well fancy angels, as they lean over 
the crystal battlements, must love to listen ; and young 
Aurora, as the old poets have it, dons her saffron robe, and 
all is fresh and fair, and joyous and delightful. 
Hark ! hark ! the lark at heaven's gate sings, 
Por Phcfibus 'gins to rise ; 
And winking marybuds begin 
To ope their golden eyes. 
But with the poetical associations of morning we dare 
not trust ourselves, or they will take us among the clouds, 
and the sky-kissing mountain peaks, and places where the 
most adventurous sportsman would fmd it impossible to 
follow. Let us, therefore, descend to earth and homely 
prose, and tell the shooter, that as it is the early bird that 
catches the worm, so it is he who is soonest a-fi'eld who 
most assuredly bags the bird. Thomas Hood said^ we 
remember, that it served the worm right for being up be- 
fore the bird, and that ^ one who is so fond of stirring, 
must be a spoon.' But though we are quite disposed with 
him to sing the praises ot 
Bed, bed, bed dehcious bed ! 
That heaven upon earth to the weary head — 
yet do we hold that on a bright September morning it is 
best to be up and aAvay, while the covies lie close among 
the stubble, and the air is cool and bracing. It may be all 
very well, if you have no great distance to walk, and are 
satisfied that your ground will not be previously beaten, to 
take the field by nine o'clock or so; but if you have to 
compete with other shooters, licensed or unlicensed, by all 
means go early, for then you will be most likely to realise 
the picture drawn by Craven, in which 
Nut-brown Partridges are seen 
Gliding among the stubble screen ; 
or crouching closely in the cover of the high grass, or stand- 
ing corn, if any be left, or in the potato field. Thus early 
in the day, and especially if it be early in the season too, 
when put up they will not fly far ; the report of the gun 
