ress, I come; now reach a strain, my lute, we her mock, or be for ever mute. une a song of victory to me, -o thyself sing thine own obsequie ; th tune the sphears, and make heaven's self look higher; m this to that, from that to this he flies, els musick's pulse in all her arteries; ose parts of sweetness, which with nectar drop, ives life to some new grace; thus doth h' invoke The lute's light genius now does proudly rise, L This done, he lists what she would say to this, Of chatt'ring strings, by the small size of one (That lived so sweetly) dead, so sweet a grave! That nightingales have often been entranced through the effect of instrumental musick, appears from Bourdelot's Histoire de la Musique.' Nothing is more common (he observes) than to see the nightingales, at particular seasons, assemble in a wood, when they hear the sound of certain instruments, or of a fine voice, which they endeavour to answer by their warblings, with such violent efforts, that I have (he continues) beheld some of them fall, as if entranced, at the feet of a person who possessed what is called a 'nightingale throat,' to express the flexibility of a fine voice. Bourdelot adds, that, frequently, both nightingales and linnets perched even on the handles of lutes, guitars, and other instruments, with which it was usual for persons, about a century since, to amuse themselves at the Tuileries, in Paris, in the month of May'. That beautiful little bird, the wryneck (jynx torquilla) makes its appearance about the middle of the month, preceding the cuckoo by a few days. The well-known cry of the cuculus canorus is heard soon yneck, and ceases the latter end of June; short, the old cuckoos being said to quit y about the end of June'. er summer-birds of passage which arrive , make their appearance in the following ring-ousel (turdus torquatus), the red-start phoenicurus), frequenting old walls and lifices, the yellow wren (motacilla trochiswift; the white-throat (motacilla sylva); opper lark (alauda trivialis), the smallest kind; and, lastly, the willow wren, which hedges and shrubberies, and feeds on inearch of which it is continually running up small branches of trees. The house-wren many pernicious insects. That most elebird, the yellow wren, is only noticed by enters and lovers of the country; it is a more binger of spring than any other of the migra; it animates the woods by its constant mo1 the frequent repetition of its simple note a cheerful and varied modulation, that renery pleasing. Its arrival is commonly reguhe season; but early in April, if the weather mild, the little groves resound with its harThe stone-curlew, or great plover, arrives is time.-For some observations on the sleep see our last volume, p. 121. rocess of vegetation is general and rapid in th. koo is a gentle bird, and gentle is his note, ril it is pleasant, while the sun is waxing hot; 1 the green woods growing, and the fresh flowers' blooming throng, mes the gentle Cuckoo with his meek and modest song. dcock comes, and with the swan brings winter on his wing, ves cast off their garments green, the small birds cease to sing; id birds cease to sing till the lilies scent the earth, Cuckoo scatters roses round whenever he goes forth. LINES written on a DYING ASH. [By the late Countess of Buckinghamshire.] Dear, friendly ash! who long hast stood Companion of unsocial care! Best loved, of all the tufted wood, No more your verdant charms you wear. Oft on thy bark, with sylvan pen, The lover graved his amorous thought; Oft from the gay resort of men Thy spreading boughs affliction sought; But now, or parched by sultry suns, Or some rude blast's pernicious breath, How fast thy vital moisture runs And wets the saddened turf beneath! the eye a most agreeable, spectacle, parn those counties which abound with or ch (fagus sylvatica) and the larch (pinus) are now in full leaf. The larch, also, ex-. ed tufts or flowers, which soon expand into 1 the fir tribe show their cones also. The vhich so many millions have been planted. ke of Athol (see our last volume, p. 125), ately applied to the purpose of ship-buildy fine frigate having been constructed of he timber reared by his Grace, and lately at Woolwich Dock Yard. Of this trial, eaks favourably, and it is considered that will, in time, supersede the use of the Nor ، nagnificent and beautiful tree, the horsehippocastanum), now displays its honours een leaves and its handsome spikes pyrawhite and red flowers. It is quite the glory trees. The common laurel is in flower. and lovely are the flowers which are showprofusion, from the lap of April: among y be named the jonquil, anemoné, ranunlyanthus, and the crown imperial. Other which adorn our fields, at this time, are that I favourite the violet', the checquered daffo ong years have passed, pale flowers, since you Long years! but, though your bloom be gone, When all that blest its birth have fled. Thus bues and hopes will pass away Thus youth, and bloom, and bliss, depart; On! what is left when these decay ? - |