The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-01

theory Is explained in these words by an- other poet, Ovid
 Good beasts shall rise to human forms,
 and men
 If bad shall backward turn to beasts
 again.
 Thus through a thousand shapes the soul
 shall go
 And thus fulfil it's destiny below"
 King Richard III is made to make this pessimistic remark. The world is grow ing so bad that wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch.''
 Of all his characters perhaps Shakes pea.re gives Lady MacDuf the keenest knowledge of bird instinct. The following is a truism and describes the most beau tiful and natural characteristic. whether embodied in man or bird or beast. "For the poor wren, the most diminutive of birds,
 Will fight, her young ones in her nest,
 against the owl"
 The grieYed wife felt all this when she heard of 'MacDuff's flight from Fife to England.
 Friends give me your answer true, who here Is supersttious? Do you think Sir Chantecleer crows all night on Christ mas eve, and by his vigilance dispels every malignant spirit? This superstition has not yet died out in England. Do you consider 1t unlucky to moest a martins nest? Do you think Sir Owl monster of the night, and do you agree with the learned. ancients that he foretells death :? It has a peculiar look. it's appearance is occasional and uncertain it's cry is loud and dismal, it is undeniably a bird of the night, though sometimes appearing during thke day, only to presage some fearful event.
 I am willing to ascribe any supernatural wisdom to the birds, though such wisdom might be well argued from this scriptural quotation as a text, For a bird of the air shall carry the voice. and that which hath wings shall tell the matter"
 Poe, (whose very soul was struggling in darkness and despair) in the line Leave no black plume as a token of the lie thy tongue hath spoken" gave the lie to superstition, notwithstanding the ravens insistent, Never more.'
 Neither am I offering myself as being superhuman. but on the starlit nights from my cabin window in the heart of the mountains have confidently answered the owls question, ''Who, who, are you?" with the unspoken thought, Gods free and fearless creature, same as you Many times could have touched with my hand the screech owl, singing his goodnight In an unparalleled tremulo, yet I had a consciousness that the Creator would give me needed wisdom and I should not borrow trouble from so small a being.
 Though Shakespeare seems to have sanctioned it. we know superstition to be unchristian. It is wrong. Are ye not of more value than many sparrows?" We tender our sympathies to Macbeth and his lady, to King Richard and all the other kings and their subjects, wishing that no human being may be a victim to dis tressing signs and omens as indicated by those visitors of superstitous dread.
 Our Shakespeare takes many occasions to illustrate the mutual dependence of men and birds, and how we possess in common the traits of anger revenge. jeal ousy, pride, vanity, grief. joy, happiness. affection, and the love of the beautiful that each recited lives out the lesson of life by working, living, fighting and dying.
 There are many allusions to birds in the plays, bringing before Us their love of music and gay colors and other things but the subject has expanded until 1t is too great to be treated here.
 >Tn the preparation of this paper I am convinced that to weigh exactly any vital piece of literature, you will be grad ually and pleasantly persuaded to excur- sions and explorations of which you lit- tic dreamed when you began. And you will find yourselves scholars before you are aware"