Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1862-02-19
From the New York Observer !
BIRDS,
AND ASSOCIATIONS CONNECTED wIrn tn

Brds-birds yo are beautiful things,
With your oarth-treading feet and your cloud
cleaving wings;
Where shall man wander and whore shall he
dwell.
Beautiful birds, that yc come not rs wol2
Eliza Cook.
A popular writer Of our own country
very happily remarks that "Birds consti-
tute the poetry of the animal creation :"
and their study, when systematically pur,
sued as science, is, undoubtedly, one of
the mos: interesting departments of Nat
ural History. The rich melody of their
songs, the beauty Of their plumage, the
grace and rapidity of their motions can
hardly fail, it would seem, to excite in us
emotions both of wonder and admiration
and it is probably only from our familiar
lty with them that we are partially blind
to their benefits, and deaf to the sweet
ness and variety of their tuneful voices.
1t Is at this season of the year, when
the groves and forests are despoiled of
their foliage, and deserted by the feath,
cred songsters, that we can iealize how
much they added to our enjoyment, and,
as is the case of our departed friends, we
can only lament their loss and sadly re.
gret that we did not more lovingly appre.
ciate them while with US; yet, unlike
them, we know,
Tho birds the wintor's storms exile,
Shall all come back with spring."
"But when shall spring visit the mouldering urn ?"
TO the deYout and thoughtful student
of nature the teathered tribe have ever
teen suggestive Of the wisdom and good,
ness Of ProvideRce in their creation and
care, and by their cheering lays and pres
ence are ever singing,
"The hand that made us is divine"
1t would appear that the inspired peno
men regarded them with special interest,
and were accustomed carefully 20 observe
their habits; as they often allude to them
to illustrate and enforce their teachings.
Indeed many Of the most impressive aud
beautiful metaphors used by the sacred
writers are derived from the habits and
instincts Of birds, and not few of the
most elegant ones of the best poets are
drawn from the same source How forci-
bly,, yet tender, is tho represen tation of
Gods love and care for his people by the
figure Of The eagle stirring up her nest,
Huttering over her young, spreading
abroad her wings, and taking and bearing
them upon them. And by that OF the
hen gathering her chickens uhder her
wings our Saviour expressed, with the
deepest pathos, the yearnings Of his heart
over the obdurate and ungrateful inhabi-
tants of Jerusalem.
What can be moro exquisite than the
simiIc used by Goldsmith, to portray the
eXcelencies Of The Village Preacher, -
and as a bird each fond endearment tries
To tempt its new-hedged offspring to the Skies
lie tried each art reproved each dull delay,
Allured to brighter worlds and led the cay"
That splendid dreamer, John Bunyan,
makes the singing Of birds one of the de-
lights of that nd which lies "beyond the
Valley of the Shadow of Death" And
the magnificent old Isaac Walton, in
speaking of the musicians of the air that
wuble forth their curious ditties," and es.
pecially the nightingale, that breathes
such sweet loud music out of her little
throat, cXc)aims with emotion, Lord,
what music hast thou provided for the
saints in heaven, when thou attordest bad
men such music on earth ?"
Daniel Webster so loved to hear the
songs Of birds, that he never permitted
one to be killed on any Of his property
and it may be remembered when the
great statesman had just been wounded
in the house of his friends, how beautiful>
ly, "in spite of SORROW" he alluded to the
lark when, no doubt, he felt at heart,
LAS the struck eagle stretched upon the plain.
No moro through rolling clouds to soar again,
Viewed his own feather on the fatal dart
And wing'd the shaft that quiver'd in his heart /;
Keen were his pangs, but keener far to feel
He nurssd the PinIon which impelled the stoel !;
While the sane plumage that had warm d his nest
Drank the last life drop of his bleeding breast"
When the final scene of his great and
eventful career was closing in death, at
Marshfeld, lady who tenderly watched
by his dying bed, heard him repeating
the last stanza Of Cowper's "Jackdaw:" :"
"Thrce happy bird l too have known
Much Of the vanities Of men:
And sick Of having seen EN-,
Would che eriully these limbs resign
For such pair Of wings as thine;
while others, in view of the ingratitude
he had experienced, in view of his undy-
ing affection for his loved and lost ones,
and especially for his Julia nd Edward"
knew full well how truly his heart res
ponded to the plant of the sweet singer
of Isreal, "Oh, that had wings like
dove for then l would aee away, and be at
rest"
In addition to the touching sentiments
and the finest of poetry that birds have
inspired, their plumage has ever been the
pride of the beautiful and gallant; for
while some feathers have been used TO
"impel the STEEL" others have furnished
rich ornaments for the heads of ladies,
and also for the warriors crest. Murat's
'snow white plume" was as famous as Ma.
poleon's grey coat, or the cooked hat of
Frederick the Great. The nodding plume
has often been the cynosure of embattled
hosts. Henry ~, of France, before the
battle of lvry, in the words of Maculay, |
made this thrilling address to his SOL
diers: (
"And If my standardboarer fall, as fall full well
he may
For never saw I promise yet of such bloody
fray
Press where ye see my white plVmo shine amidst
Il.