SINGING AGAINST A THORN. 
127 
And while, her grief in charming notes express’d, 
A thorny bramble pricks her tender breast. 
In warbling melody she spends the night, 
And moves at once compassion and delight.” 
Thus it was evidently believed by the poets, whether the 
idea was founded on fact or not, that the nightingale 
leaned her breast against a thorn when she gave forth 
her mournful notes. The origin of such a belief it is not 
easy to ascertain, but we suspect Sir Thomas Browne was 
not far from the truth when he pointed to the fact that 
the nightingale frequents thorny copses, and builds her 
nest amongst brambles on the ground. He inquires 
“whether it be any more than that she placeth some 
prickles on the outside of her nest, or roosteth in thorny, 
prickly places, where serpents may least approach her?”* 
In an article upon this subject, published, in “ The 
Zoologist,” for 1862, p. 8,029, the Rev. A. C. Smith has 
narrated “ the discovery, on two occasions, of a strong 
thorn projecting upwards in the centre of the nightingale’s 
nest.” It can hardly be doubted, however, that this was 
the result of accident rather than design ; and Mr. Hewit- 
son, in his “ Eggs of British Birds,” has adduced two 
similar instances in the case of the hedge-sparrow. We 
may accordingly dismiss the idea that there is any real 
foundation for such belief, and regard it as a poetic 
license. 
* “ Sir Thomas Browne’s Works " (Wilkin’s ed.), Vol. TI. p. 537. 
