Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-08-09

The MoCKING BIRD.-The wonderful crea-
ton Of the teathered tribe, whose native home
in the South is made joyous by its ever vary
ing voice, has recently been suppositiously de-
cryed in the "Atlantic Monthly" A clever
article entitled "Night Birds" which appear
ed in that magazine, alludes to their miracu-
lous concentration of sweet sounds, in very
cautious terms of praise, and then presumes,
without personal experience on which to found
an opinion, that the mocking bird, as a must
clan, is inferior to the English nightingale.
This admission we take to be treason to one of
our american institutions" and the readi-
ness, or rather the going out of the way to
make inYidious comparison, is indicative Of
the foreign atmosphere" which pervades
Boston, and which would overwhelm it with
destruction, as were "the cities Of the plain,
if it were not for dot" OF good christians
who live in its midst, prominent among which
are the "acorn" and other patriarchal saints.
But to the bird. The nightingale deserves all
that has been said and sung of it, 1t is classic
from the illusions made to it by the best Brit
ish poets, and herein lies really its immense
popularity for without such endorsement it
never could have had its widespread populari-
ty in this country. But the hooking bird is
its superior The charge that it is mere
"mimic" is false. 70 be sure the hooking
bird plays old nick with his fellow wood com
panions he deranges all their harmonies, is
in fact very puck of mischief and seems to
delight in annoying his fellow warblers, and in
confusing their best laid plans, but there are
times when the hooking bird tires of his own
initiative eXuberance, and sets down with a
soul filled with himself to pour out up
on creation his songs of heavenly praise
On these occasions, the best efforts of
the English nightingale sink into mere
prettiness, they are the sonnets of Shen-
stone, while the mocking bird is pas
toral Collins, and at the same time as sublime
as Homer. We have seen the bird in the
quiet midnight Of Southern sky, when the
moon was declining in its full tide OF splendor,
select some dead limb near the house, and at
ter going through various eccentric motions,
as if preparing for its grateful task, it would
turn its little head towards heaven, as ii for
inspirations and commence pouring out its
song of alteration and praise. The levity and
absolute rascality of its daylight revels were
gone it was now seemingly an inspired roice,
and for hours it would make the surrounding
groves echo with its wonderful compositions
Sometimes commencing with an original com
position in which all the feathered songsters
were represented, yet surpassed, it dwelt upon
their inferior strains until they formed back
ground for its expression, then would pour
forth such an overflow of notes that the listen
or, IN spite of himself is led to believe that
some immortal and blessed spirit is struggling
in the effort to make divine communication
with the world
You listen-you are charmed-next, you
are absorbed, and then in the establishment
and admiration, you become spcystitous and
absolutely alarmed-you think that the bird
is delusion, that the strains you hear are
from the invisible world-that they are prophe.
cies-hinfS-0IucleS- EARNINGS - meSsaqes fran
the land of dreams. Such is the effect Of the
music Of the hooking bird in its wild home,
on the most unpoetcal mnd-it absorbs, as.
tonishes-and fills with dreamy fear. The
English nightingale at best merely fills one
with admiration-its morning salute is hap.
by in its time of expression, as its harmony
Is beautiful and enchanting, but nothing more.
The mocSing bird equals all this, and then as
cends to higher sphere-reaching the moral
sublime.