Of the others, you will find the traditionary most
troublesome, unless you can steal your vulguses whole (experto crede),
and that the artistic method pays the best both in marks and other ways.
The vulguses being finished by nine o'clock, and Martin having rejoiced
above measure in the abundance of light, and of Gradus and dictionary,
and other conveniences almost unknown to him for getting through the
work, and having been pressed by Arthur to come and do his verses there
whenever he liked, the three boys went down to Martin's den, and Arthur
was initiated into the lore of birds' eggs, to his great delight.
The exquisite colouring and forms astonished and charmed him, who had
scarcely ever seen any but a hen's egg or an ostrich's, and by the time
he was lugged away to bed he had learned the names of at least twenty
sorts, and dreamed of the glorious perils of tree-climbing, and that he
had found a roc's egg in the island as big as Sinbad's, and clouded like
a tit-lark's, in blowing which Martin and he had nearly been drowned in
the yolk.
CHAPTER IV--THE BIRD-FANCIERS.
"I have found out a gift for my fair--
I have found where the wood-pigeons breed;
But let me the plunder forbear,
She would say 'twas a barbarous deed."--ROWE.
"And now, my lad, take them five shilling,
And on my advice in future think;
So Billy pouched them all so willing,
And got that night disguised in drink.
Pages:
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285