The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-11-13
DESCRIPTION OF KEEPING
BIRDS IN CAGES.
PROM MR.. Howrrr's BOOK OF THE SEASONS

|
! PROM MR.. HowIrrs BOOK OF THE SEASONS
i We are in a month of darkness, storms, and
mists; OF the whirling away Of the wIthered
leaves, and the introduction of complete winter
Rain, hail, and wind chace each other over the
hslds and amongst the woods in rapid alterna-
tons. The flowers are gone; the long grass
stands amongst the woodland thickets withered,
bleached, and sere the fern is red and shrivell-
ed amongst the green gorse and broom. The
plants, which waved their broad white umbels
TO the summer breeze, like skeleton trophies Of
death, rattle their dry and hollow kexes TO the
autumnal winds. The brooks are brmtul the
rivers, turbid and covered with masses Of foam,
hurry on in angry strength, or pour their waters
over the CHAMPAIGN. Our very gardens are sad,
damp, and desolate. Their floral splendors are
dead naked stems and decaying leaves have
taken the place Of verdure. The walks are un-
kempt and uninviting and as these summer
friends OF ours are no longer atfiuent and OF
| fiouTishing estate, we, of course, desert them.
The country presents, in its silence and gloom,
a CHASTITY scene TO those accustomed TO towns
and dissipation To them there is something
| fright!ul in its solitude; yet, to the reflective
mind il is, and has been, at all times grateful
In its sternest moods it presents solemn thoughts,
and awakens solemn feelings. Great and philo-.
sophie minds have in all ages borne but one
4 testimony to the charms of its quietude. In its
i
the passion OF grief; TO it, the protector of some
great work in art or literature flies to mature his
labor, and, while hidden from all eyes, to achieve
that which shall make his name familiar to all
ears and to the poet, what is more affuent of
imaginative stimulus and precious suggestions
than strolls through wood walks mountain-glens,
| and along wild sea coasts, at this season? The
universal stiffness is felt through the whole soul.
| Every object is exaggerated, and yet recon-
mended TO the eye through the media Of gloom
and mist; and while the eye, unseconded by
mind, would discern nothing but dreariness he
finds something congenial to the lofiiest moods
of his spirit, and is often led into strains, which,
though solemn, are anything but sad.
| Fieldfares and redwings will be generally seen
this month. Sometimes they quit their north
ern regions as early as October, if the season
be very severe, but more frequently they make
their first appearance here in this month Ii
the weather be mild, they will be heard, as they
sit IN fiocks upon the trees, warbling in concert
very cheerfuly in the same manner as before
their departure in spring. Fine days will occa-
sionally peep out so spring-ike, that the sky
larks attempt their flights, and sing merrily
but, perhaps the very next morning shows a
landscape of frost and snow:
saw tho wood. ~..A a~las Al closa of aay
A varegated show; the meadows green
Though faded, and the lands where lately waved
The golden harvest, Of mellow brown,
Uptirnd SO lately by the peaceful share.
saw, far off, the weedy falow smile
With verdurc not Improbable, grazed
By focks, fast feeding, and selecting each
His favorte herb; while all the leafess groves
That skirt the horizon, wore sable hue,
Scarce noticed in the kindred dusk of eve
Tomorrow brings change, a total change,
Which even now, though silently performed,
And slowly and by most unelt, the face
OF universal nature undergoes
Fast falls the fleecy shower; the downy flakes
Descending and with never ceasing lapse,
Softly alghting upon all below,
Assmilate all objects. Earth receives
Gladly the thckening MANTLE and the green
And tender blade that feared the chilling blast
Escapes unhurt beneath so warm veil
The return of winter is pleasurable even in
its severity. The first SHOWS that come dane
ing down; the first frost that rimes the hedges,
variegates the windows, or shoots its fine long
crystals across the smallest puddle, or the widest
sheets of water bring with them the remem-
brance Of our boyish pleasures, our slidings and
skatings-our snow ballings and snow -rollings-
our snowman making-the wonders of boar
frosts-of nightly snow-drifts in hollow lanes
of caves and houses, scooped in the winny |
heaps with much labor and delight; and Of
scamperng over hedge and ditch on the frozen
snow, that "crouched beneath the tread,n but
broke not.
The dark, wet, and win,ry day, and the long
dismal nights Of this season, are, however, ia
vorable to fire-side enJoyments and occupations. |
Driven from the fields and woods where we
have found so much delight, so many objects ofin-
terest, or employment, wemay now sit within and
hear the storm rage around, conscious that the |
fruits of the earth secured and that, like the
bees in their hives, we have not lei the summer
escape, but have laid up stores of sweetness for |
the time of darkness and dearth. In large farm
houses, many useful avocations may enliven the |
evening firesde. In some districts, the men |
mend their own clothes and shoes in others, |
various repairs of smaller implements, as fails, |
sleeves, &c. are done and it is now become a |
audable custom in many superior farms, to en-
courage reading and other means of mental i'm |
provement, which the continual engagements of
rural laborer preclude during the summer
The promotion Of this spirit is highly to be de-
sired; no part of our working population having
been SO lamentably deficient in common know
ledge as that of farmers servants. Through |
the summer they have toiled from morning till
night, and from day to day necessarily, and
their only intervals of rest, Sundays and winter
nights, have been lost in drowsiness. The
cottager may usefully, by his winter fire, con-
struct bee-hives, nets mole traps, bird cages, &c.
With any Of these employments, ! have more
sympathy than with the last, however.
OF all men who pursue rural occupations, the !
bird -cacher especially the summer bird-ca
ers, are the least feeling They do not capture
birds when they have congregated in winter,
when they have no mates or young TO feel the
effects of their loss, and are rearing for the table
of the epicure, but take only singing birds, and
take them TO wherever and whenever they can,
without regard to their having young, which
may perish by their absence, or to that harsh
change, from the full enjoyment of summer sun
shine and pleasures to the captivity of the cage.
When see their nets spread in the fields, where
nnets, goldfnches, &c, resort to the seeds OF
grass, plantain, sow-thistles, &C., wish them
al N, amor If villainoue III -lpcL and I noyar