154 
WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 
deadly breach;" but they act under a controlling mastery, 
and it is that of such a spirit as the Eagle typifies — of a 
broad-pinioned cleaver of the mists, whose far-flashing, sun- 
defying eye sees beyond the concurrence he has wielded to 
the results. Such a one was Napoleon — whose whole career 
was the sublimest Heroic Epic the world ever saw. The 
Eagle was, naturally, his favorite bird, and perched upon his 
standards, leading his fiery veterans to victory. 
It was his Anti-type, with its whole hungry family of 
Kaptores, flame-eyed and hook-beaked, clustered around it 
in his Marshals! 
It has been the bird of victory since time began — all the 
mighty Geniuses of war have loved it — 
" The Anarch Chiefs, whose fierce and murderous snares 
Plave founded many a sceptre-bearing line," 
have taken it for a sign, an omen of triumph. The wry- 
necked, world-conquering Macedonian followed it to the 
" Ganges golden " and the Temple of Ammon. The nation- 
yoking, "hook'billed Eoman" carried it before his legions. 
Beneath its wings the grand Wallenstein, with his German 
cohorts, "blue-eyed, yellow-haired and strong," battled 
haughtily with his Destiny. " The sterner stuff" of our own 
daring and hardy Fathers saw in its strong wings and conti- 
nent-girdling flight, the fittest emblem of the freedom and the 
boundless Empire they were founding here. 
In a word, it has idealized and glorified all sublimest ac- 
tion and triumphs of the physical. It is the Epic of earth's 
heroic Poetry. In it like Homer, the Old Mother has loos- 
ened from "thunderous brows" her toj^most thought of 
beautiful, fierce, exulting strength, and sent it plumed to 
float upon her storms. 
That will do — Miss Barrett-izing the earth ! But let the 
Daughter paint for us — her bold pencil does it well ! 
When we set u.p for one of " God's prophets of the beau- 
tiful," then may we, too, grind down the elements for our 
