Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-08-17
The Hermit Thrush in Prose and Pc.
etry.

A Few Quotations Descriptive Of the
Thrush's Song and Its Environ
ments.
One writer says "How one loves to re-
call the serene, ethereal evening hymn"
John Burroughs calls the song of the her
init thrush 1.-The finest sound in nature.
1t is not" he says, "a proud, gorgeous
strain like the tanager's or the grosbeak's.
1t suggests no passion or emotion, but
seems to be the voice of that calm, sweet
solemnity one attains TO in his best mo-
ments. 1t realizes peace and deep SOL
emn JOY that only the finest souls may
know"
The author of "Bird Neighbors" says
"Only the nightingale of Europe is to be
compared to it. 1t exhausts all the orni-
biologists musical adjectves."
Florence Merriam says: 1.-THE bobolink
sings for the sunny meadow, the vireo for
the shaded tree top, the goldtinch for the
blue sky, the indigo-bird for the passing
breezes, and the whip-poor-will for the
night, but the hermit thrush chants the
forest TIE Deums for sunrise and sunset"
Emily Tolman says: THE peace and
silence Of night rested upon the Franco
nia) forest. Then the stiffness was broken
by a note of surprising sweetness, as though
some master musician had touched silver
toned flute. The forest had found fit ex-
preston. All the strange beauty and mys-
terry which the pewee sought in vain to
utter, all that the gentle birch, the whis-
pering maple, the trembling poplar, the
signing hemlock had left unspoken was in
that pure strain" And the next morning
at early dawn 1.-THE forest was already
ringing with the chant of the hermit
thrush, Holy, O holy, holy" Serenity
and deep spiritual joy were expressed in
every note. The woods seemed a cathe-
dral; the song of the hermit prayer"
Browning says:
That's the wise thrush, he sings each song twice
over,
Lest YOU should think he never could reca pture
The first fine careless rapture"
Miss Mulock in her "Rhyme about
Birds says
II said to the brown, brown thrush
Hush hush
Thro' the woods full strain hear
Thy monotone deep and clear
Like a sound amid sounds most fine"
And in Bryant's "Among the Trees" we
find:
When the wind
Sweeps the broad forest in its summer prime,
As when some master hand ,exulting sweeps
Inc keys OF some great organ
Ye give forth
The music OF the woodland depths, hymn
OF gladness and of thanks,
The hermit thrush
Pipes his sweet note 10 make your arches ring
N. w. Bridge, one of our Vermont po-
cts, in his poem on "The Thrush says:
From forest glen where wild flowers blush,
And warbling winds the moss bound rill,
Thy glorious anthems flute voiced thrush,
My soul with deep vibrations thrill.
| These heavenly strains at distance heard,
In sunless days and dewy hours
Remind me OF some high souled bard,
Who sweetest sings when Fortune lowers.
| Thy notes, so plaintive, rich and wild
Thy fancy's high and varied flights,
! Bespeak, the Natures poet child,
The muse no earthly sorrow blights.
( AS sweetly blend the swelling strains,
And die away as softly clear
| AS svery chimes from distant fanes
| That watt to heaven the voice OF prayer,
| And yearning souls will Eyward soar,
| While listening TO those glorious lays,
| Wherein angelic voices pour
The melody Of heavenly praise.
| A, l., G..
| West Brattleboro.