BIRDS AND POETS. 
167 
is his lowlier sister ! Still is slie bone of Ms bone and flesli 
of his flesh, and sings for him of love ! Yet he, too, sings 
of love. Her love is of the sun and flowers — his love goes 
winging to freeze among the stars, and will not stoop to ca- 
ress her. Ah ! unfraternal despot ; ye may not know the 
innocent joy when it is warm about the heart. Thus her 
meek rebuke would be plained low from out her tiny heart ! 
But, gentle singer, though in the aggregate we be 
" A people currish, cliiirlisli as tlie seas, 
And rude almost as rudest salvages" — 
yet have we men and women of us, who 
" Subscribe to tender objects" — 
who can turn away from the unholy altars of this " dark 
idolatry of self," to know and feed upon the beautiful in out- 
ward things. To such, thou art a lowly sister — 
And for thy songs they give thee song again, 
But set thy lispings to a loftier strain ! 
Safer in their wide sympathies thou mayest nestle than in 
the strong cedar — cherished and nourished at their deep 
hearts — take thine ease — thou mayest be glad ! 
These are the true Monarchs here. They have thrown aside 
the purple and forgotten State. They go forth bare and 
meek into the throng of living creatures, and in their benefi- 
cence alone do they seem royal — "the benediction" of, their 
calm, genial smiles falls everywhere in dew ; 
" And they shall be accounted Poet Kings, 
Who simply say the most heart-easing things." 
These are they the Song Birds typify ! — the soft-eyed and 
musical-hearted ! — Ah, alike — how full of happy love and 
the power of giving joy ! 
