CHAP. II.

A mild and sweet-tempered old man or woman, whose mind is rather chaste than severe, and whose manners are discreet rather than grave, is the most graceful ornament which humanity can boast, and the most effectual agent which virtue can employ.Rousseau.

Rousseau.

The next evening, after each had completed the domestic occupation of the day, Mrs. Fitzallan, in compliance with the desire of her young family, resumed the history of the goldfinch.

“The cheerful and hospitable disposition of Farmer Somers led him to give readily into any little plan for the amusement of the youthful party, who, far from feeling his presence a restraint on their pleasures, were never so happy as when, collected around him, they could make him umpire of their debates, or participator of their amusements. Unlike the austere parent, whose brows are ever contracted with a frown, and whose step, when heard, is sufficient to strike terror into the minds of his children, if their faults required correction, Mr. Somers possessed the happy art of reproving with such gentle arguments as provedsuperior judgment without wounding affection, and entered with spirit into all their trifling pastimes.

“As the birthday of Fanny drew near, the indulgent Somers promised them a rural jubilee, and the farm soon became a scene of pleasing bustle. The residence of this happy family was a neat brick dwelling-house, built in a modern style, the barns and outhouses detached so as not to spoil the appearance of the building, which was much improved by sash-windows, and the elevation of a flight of steps, which were ornamented on each side by flower-pots, containing a variety of blooming plants; a grass-plot and border, witha nice gravel-path, graced the front of the house, round which the fragrant jessamine grew in wild luxuriance. On the green, tables were spread for the rustic guests, who were to be indulged that day with extra good cheer, and unrestrained licence to do as they pleased—a privilege which they had too much regard for their master and his family to abuse.

“The willing hands of Fanny prepared the dainties, Mr. Somers having previously taken care that the robust appetite should be first satisfied with excellent, substantial food. Each honest peasant had thegirl of his heart beside him; and their heartfelt glee, which, though expressed in the unpolished accents of simple nature, communicated a glow of pleasure to every spectator. A pipe and tabor was not forgotten; and Somers, inspired by the surrounding gaiety, drew his violin from the case wherein it had been buried for many years, and delighted them with scientific sounds of merriment, while, dropping the master for the obliging host, he instructed them in the intricate figure of the mazy dance, which was led off by Miss Fitzallan and young Somers, succeeded by Fanny and a neighbouringfarmer’s son, who had recently solicited her father’s permission to address her. They continued this diversion with spirit, till the rising moon gave notice that the hour of rest drew nigh, and a signal was given by Mrs. Somers that supper was ready.

‘We must husband our pleasures, my children,’ said the farmer; ‘in the sports of to-day we must not forget the duties of to-morrow; the grass is already damp, and even in the midst of revelling, disease may punish us, if we neglect the admonitions of prudence. Let us adjourn to the house, and after devoting afew hours more to pastimes, which we may with safety indulge, retire to rest, satisfied with the amusements of the day, and rise in the morning, able and willing to pursue our allotted labour.’

“This hint was sufficient. Each led his willing fair one to the supper-table; and the jest, the laugh, and merry tale, went round. The health of the lovely Fanny and the benevolent host was drank with repeated cheers; and upon Miss Fitzallan being solicited to sing, she, without any affectation, gave the following song, composed by herself for the occasion:—

Tune—By this Fountain’s flowery side.Rosina.

“Happy in our native plains,Pure content is still our own;Courtly cares and envy’s painsLong to us shall be unknown.Let the sprightly tabor sound,Let the merry bells ring round;Cheerful hearts and spirits gay,Bless sweet Fanny’s natal day.Chorus—Let the sprightly, &c.“What is fashion’s gilded state?Idle pomp and tinsel glare.Can they Nature’s charms o’errate?Can they with her joys compare?Let the sportive jest be ours,Let us cull life’s choicest flowers;Mirth is ours and spirits gay,On sweet Fanny’s natal day.Chorus—Let the sportive, &c.“When the happy favour’d youthTo the altar leads the fair,Plighting there his love and truth,May each blessing be their share!Broach the heart-enlivening ale,Nought but joy shall here prevail;Cheerful hearts and spirits gay,Bless sweet Fanny’s natal day.Chorus—Broach the heart, &c.

“Happy in our native plains,

Pure content is still our own;

Courtly cares and envy’s pains

Long to us shall be unknown.

Let the sprightly tabor sound,

Let the merry bells ring round;

Cheerful hearts and spirits gay,

Bless sweet Fanny’s natal day.

Chorus—Let the sprightly, &c.

“What is fashion’s gilded state?Idle pomp and tinsel glare.Can they Nature’s charms o’errate?Can they with her joys compare?Let the sportive jest be ours,Let us cull life’s choicest flowers;Mirth is ours and spirits gay,On sweet Fanny’s natal day.Chorus—Let the sportive, &c.

“What is fashion’s gilded state?

Idle pomp and tinsel glare.

Can they Nature’s charms o’errate?

Can they with her joys compare?

Let the sportive jest be ours,

Let us cull life’s choicest flowers;

Mirth is ours and spirits gay,

On sweet Fanny’s natal day.

Chorus—Let the sportive, &c.

“When the happy favour’d youthTo the altar leads the fair,Plighting there his love and truth,May each blessing be their share!Broach the heart-enlivening ale,Nought but joy shall here prevail;Cheerful hearts and spirits gay,Bless sweet Fanny’s natal day.Chorus—Broach the heart, &c.

“When the happy favour’d youth

To the altar leads the fair,

Plighting there his love and truth,

May each blessing be their share!

Broach the heart-enlivening ale,

Nought but joy shall here prevail;

Cheerful hearts and spirits gay,

Bless sweet Fanny’s natal day.

Chorus—Broach the heart, &c.

“The old man, filled with glee, joined in the chorus; and his example was eagerly followed by the honest rustics, whose coarse voices and uncouth accents formed a most comical melody, and afforded infinite amusement to the more polished guests, among whom it may be necessary to mention a young lady, thedaughter of Sir George Norbury, of whom Somers rented the farm. An attachment had subsisted for several years between young Fitzallan and Miss Norbury, which has since been crowned with a happy marriage.”

“That was you and papa, I believe,” cried Charlotte, looking at her mother.

“It was, my dear; and I reckon that day among the happiest in my life.”

“For what reason, mamma?”

“I will explain it to you another time, my love. Suffer me now to proceed with the history of “My Bird.”

“The attachment of these youngpeople was founded on the most perfect mutual esteem; but I am unfortunately unable to afford the curious reader any further account of their affairs, as I was removed to London with my young mistress a few days after that on which this rural jubilee took place, and I must now proceed to relate the adventures which befel me there.

“Miss Fitzallan, among many amiable qualities, had one fault, to which many young people are but too prone—she was heedless in the extreme. What she at one time most anxiously desired, and took the utmost pains to obtain, she would, in a few hours after possession, throwaside, or lose by her inattention. It was in this blameable manner she acted by me, when, after a very fatiguing journey, I arrived safely in town. She purchased a new and elegant cage for me, and hung it in her favourite apartment, where she visited me every hour, bringing me bits of sugar, and with a silver whistle endeavouring to teach me new notes; but, alas! this kindness was of short duration. She grew weary of the frequent repetition of her visits, and gradually ceased to feel the same delight in attending me. She next gave me in charge to her servant, with strict injunctions not to neglect me; but there is an old adage, which,if she had attended to it, would have been infinitely to my advantage. It is this—“If you would have a thing well done, do it yourself.”

“In fact, the servant had a variety of business on her hands, and want of time, more than want of inclination, was the cause of my sufferings. I was frequently obliged to drink foul water; my seed was sometimes so low, that it was painful to me to reach it; and my cage was suffered to get so dirty, that I was much incommoded by the unwholesome smell of it; and my health would in all probability have suffered, had I not shortly after been released.

“One day that my mistress wasout, her maid thought proper to invite a few of her friends to see her. Among these was a little froward girl, who seldom paid any attention to what was said to her, and whose presence was a restraint on these young women, who wished to talk over their own secrets without a witness, who might probably repeat what passed. Our servant accordingly desired the girl to go up into the lady’s room, where she would find a beautiful bird, to which she might talk as much as she pleased, but not venture to touch. Sally heard this injunction; but no sooner beheld me, than she resolved to disobey, and immediately opening thecage, took me in her hands, to admire every feather separately. With a violent struggle I released myself from her grasp, and made my escape out of the open window, leaving her to bewail her disobedience at leisure.

“Never shall I forget the rapturous sensations I experienced, when, for the first time in my life, I tasted the sweets of liberty, and soared aloft in air. I perched upon a tree, I flew from bough to bough, and sung the most melodious notes of joy. Imprudent that I was! I knew not the perils that awaited me. Like many other young and inconsiderate creatures, I murmured at that restraint which was for my good. Ihad been petted and indulged, till I imagined that the whole world would be alike attentive to my wants. I found my error; and, impatient at the reverse, precipitated myself into greater evils than those I had hitherto repined at. It was true, I had gained my liberty; but that was all I could boast. I had no home—no kindred, and I found no friends. I was a stranger among a numerous tribe, who considered me as an impertinent intruder, and drove me from tree to tree with unpitying rancour.

“The night came on—the piercing cold chilled my tender frame, who had been accustomed to theshelter of a warm room, and I bitterly bewailed my indiscretion. In the eagerness of my flight, I had neglected to notice the window from which I flew; and I well knew that it would be in vain for me to attempt to regain it. I passed the night in a state of misery not to be described, nestled under a bush that grew in the garden of a mean-looking house.

“For some time I lost in sleep the sense of my misfortunes, but was roused from my slumber by a rude shock. Ah! conceive my anguish and terror, at finding myself within the death-dealing clutches of a large tabby cat! Puss would no doubthave made that morning an exquisite breakfast, had not Providence interfered, and sent the master of the house into the garden at that, to me, critical moment. At a word from this man, who held the animal in complete subjection, Grimalkin released me, and suffered her master to take me in his hand, while she purred round him, evidently with exultation at what she had done.

“After a short investigation, I was taken into the house, and consigned to a cage of curious construction, in an apartment which contained about a hundred birds of different species. It was not long before I learnt that my present owner was abird-fancier; and I was soon after fated to undergo the most exquisite tortures, as the means of teaching me a variety of tricks and graces, to which I was before a stranger, such as drawing up a bucket of water, standing on one leg with a paper gun under my wing, and twisting round my perch like a rope-dancer. These accomplishments, though they may be amusing to an inconsiderate spectator, will, I am sure, afford but little pleasure to the feeling breast, when they know the tortures which are inflicted on a tender, unresisting animal, when they hear how our delicate limbs are twisted to agony, or goaded with red-hot knitting-needles.But why should I shock the susceptible mind by a minute detail of such barbarities? Already, in imagination, I perceive the eye of pity drop a tear on the page—the generous heart throb with indignation. Oh Sensibility! sweet inmate of the human breast! may thy soft dictates impress betimes the minds of my youthful readers—may they turn with disgust from every scene of cruel sport, and follow the glorious example of their blessed Redeemer in gentleness and mercy!

“It will, I trust, afford satisfaction to my reader to learn, that I was soon after relieved from such persecutions by an old maiden lady, whotook a fancy to me, and purchased me at an exorbitant price. My joy at the exchange may be easily imagined; and I became so very tame, that, as I was a particular favourite, I was indulged with the range of the whole apartment, and suffered to peck the sugar out of her cup at breakfast. Thus, in the vicissitudes of life’s changeful scene, do luxury and misery tread alternately on the heels of each other.

“The whims and caprices of this old lady would afford ample diversion to those who take delight in ridiculing the infirmities of human nature. For my own part, I think no practice so truly despicable; besideswhich, gratitude ought to restrain those who eat of the bread and drink of the cup of their superiors, especially (as was the case with my mistress) when a good heart makes ample compensation for a number of peculiarities.

“The death of my venerable owner again consigned me to new hands, and I became the property of her niece, Mrs. Torrent, with whom I was once more subjected to every kind of ill usage that it was possible for me to bear. This lady had three children, peevish, ill-bred, and disgusting. Every visitor was tormented by their impertinence, every domestic the slave of their caprices,and every dumb animal the object of their mischievous pastime. To please these little wretches, I was taken from my cage, a string was fastened to my slender leg, to which Master Tommy attached a pasteboard toy, which he denominated a flying Harlequin, and the weight of which caused me extreme pain. Yet I was compelled to drag it about; and if I failed to perform my task to his satisfaction, I was urged to obedience by a needle’s point. At other times Miss Sophy would spin my cage round, till I dropped from my perch, sick, giddy, and almost expiring.

“These and such tyrannical amusementsthey were permitted by their foolishly-indulgent parents; and I should, in all probability, have been the victim of their cruelty, had I not been at last so fortunate as to make my escape.

“Again I had the wide world before me, and again was my life endangered by a rapacious bird of prey, who saw and pursued me. Exerting the utmost swiftness of which my wings were capable, I flew over hill and valley; but, notwithstanding all my speed, I must inevitably have been overtaken by my dreaded foe, had not I fortunately perceived a young lady sitting at a window, into which I immediately flew, andsheltered myself in her bosom. Surprised and alarmed, she gave a loud shriek; but the palpitations of terror, which had before agitated my bosom, changed to rapture when I perceived my pursuer retreat in affright at the sound of her voice; and my delight was still further augmented, when I discovered, in my fair preserver, my former mistress, Eliza Fitzallan, at that time Mrs. Somers, the union of the young lovers having taken place since my flight.

“In the same apartment were assembled Fanny and her husband, with Mr. and Mrs. Fitzallan; and my happiness was complete,when, after regarding me attentively for some time, Eliza declared to young Somers that I was the very bird she had brought away from the farm.

‘I know him,’ said she, ‘by the particular formation of one of his claws, which must have received a hurt when it was first hatched; and now I have found my pretty creature, I will take care of it.’

‘I think, Eliza,’ said her husband, ‘you had better give it to Mrs. Fitzallan. You are going back into the country, where we shall be at no loss for birds; and I think Mrs. Fitzallan will set greater store bythis than any one she might purchase.’

‘Ah! you know I am a careless creature; but now I am settled, I mean to reform, I assure you. However, my sister shall have the little flutterer if she pleases.’

“I was accordingly transferred to the protection of Mrs. Fitzallan, with whom I have continued a willing and happy captive ever since, and hope with her to finish my days, which now draw very near a conclusion, being at present far advanced in years.

“Eliza was faithful to her word; she saw the error of youthful thoughtlessness,and is now a most exemplary wife; and I have the felicity of beholding all my earliest friends happy and respected.”

“A famous story, upon my word,” cried Fitzallan, smiling; “I give you credit for your ingenuity, though I must own I should feel a slight inclination to turn critic, but that I wish to secure your candour for a little piece of my own writing. To-morrow evening I will begin my tale, and these darlings shall decide which is most interesting.”

He then kissed his little family with fond affection, and the young ones retired to rest.

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