Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-01-27
The MOcking Bird.

! This wonderful creation of the feaiherel
| tribe, whose native home in the south is
made joyous by its evcr-varying voice, ha.
recently been supposilitiously decried in the
Atiaatic Monthy, A clever article enti-
tied Night Birds" which appeared
in that magazine, alludcs to their miracn-
lous concentration of sweet songs, in very
cautious terms of praise, and then presumes,
without personal experience on which to
found an opinion, that the motking bird, ms
a musician, is inferior to the English night
ingale. This admission we take to be trea-
son to one of our American institutions, :"
and the readiness, or ratter the going out
of The way, to make invidious comparison,
is indicative of the foreign atmosphere I"
which pervades Boston, and which would
overwhelm it with destruction, as were 'the
cities of the plain" if il were not for Lot"
oC good Christians who live in its midst.
prominent among which are acorn " and
and other patriarchal saints. But TO the
birds. The nightingale deserves all that
has been said and sung of it il is classic
from the illusions made TO it by the best
British poets, and herein lies really its i'm
mense popularity, for without such endorse
ment, it never could have had its wide
spread popularity in this country. Bat the
mocking bird is its superior. The charge
that it is a mere "mimic is false. To be
sure the mocking bird plays Old Nick with
his fellow wood companions: he deranges
all their harmones. is in fact a very Puck
of mischief, and seems to delight in annoy
ing his fellow-warblers, and in confusing
their best laid plans !; but there are times
when the mocking bird tires of his own inn
itative exuberance, and sets down with a
soul filled with himself, TO pour out upon
creation his songs of heavenly praise. On
these occasions, the best efforts of the Eng
lish nightingale sink into mere prettinrss
they are the sonnets of Shenstone, while
the mocking bird is pastoral Collins, and
at the same time as sublime as Homer.
We have seen the bird in the quiet mid
night of southern sky, when tine moon
was declining in its full hue of spendor, Sc
lect some dead limb near tire house, and
after going through various eccentric mo-
tions, as if preparing for its little head To-
wards heaven. as if for inspiration, and
commence pouring out its song of adoratian
and praise. The levity and absolute ras-
cality of 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
composition in which all the feathered song
sters were represented, yet surpassed, it
dwelt upon their inferior strains until they
formed back ground for its expressions
then would pour forth such an overflow of
notes that the listener, 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-Hyou are charmed-next you
are absorbed, and then in the astonishment
and admiration, you become superstitioas
and absolutely alarmed-you think that the
bird is a delusion, that the strains you hear
are from the incist6le worid-that they are
prophesies---hints--orac'es s--acarnsngs---
messages from The land of dreams. Such is
the effect of the music OF the mocking bird
in IFS wild home, on the most unpoetical
mind--it absorbs, astonishes, and fills with
dreamy fear. The English nightingale at
best merely fills one with admiralion--its
morning salute is as happy in IFS time of
expression, as IFS harmony is beautiful and
enchanting, but nothing more. The mock
ing bird equals all this, and then aseends to
a higher sphere--reachng the moral sub
lime.-Spiya Of tie Times.