Winged Words on Chantrey's Woodcocks

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James Patrick Muirhead
J. Murray, 1857 - 120 pages
 

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Page xxiii - twas my joy With store of springes o'er my shoulder hung To range the open heights where woodcocks run Among the smooth green turf. Through half the night, Scudding away from snare to snare, I plied That anxious visitation; — moon and stars Were shining o'er my head.
Page 112 - Corinna, vale', colle sub Elysio nigra nemus ilice frondet 50 udaque perpetuo gramine terra viret. si qua fides dubiis, volucrum locus ille piarum dicitur...
Page xxiv - SI che mi tinse 1' una e 1' altra guancia, E poi la medicina mi riporse. Così od' io che soleva la lancia D' Achille, e del suo padre, esser cagione Prima di trista e poi di buona mancia.
Page 56 - ... wrath) fell headlong from the fields of air, Yet a rich guerdon waits on minds that dare, If aught be in them of immortal seed And reason govern that audacious flight Which heavenward they direct. — Then droop not thou, Erroneously renewing a sad vow In the low dell 'mid Roslin's faded grove : A cheerful life is what the Muses love, A soaring spirit is their prime delight.
Page xxiii - Became my prey ; and when the deed was done I heard among the solitary hills Low breathings coming after me, and sounds Of undistinguisliable motion, steps Almost as silent as the turf they trod.
Page xxix - A sege of herons, and of bitterns; an herd of swans, of cranes, and of curlews; a dopping of sheldrakes; 3 a spring of teels; a covert of cootes; a gaggle of geese; a badelynge of ducks ; a sord or sute of mallards ; a muster of peacocks; a nye of pheasants; a bevy of quails; a covey of partridges; a congregation of plovers: a flight of doves; a dule of...
Page 10 - And features yet that spoke a soul more fair. Mute, gazing, agonizing as he knelt, — Of them that stood encircling his despair, He heard some friendly words ; — but knew not what they were.
Page xxvii - Chantrey was placed in the gravel-pit that you will remember just under the Hall. I was standing next to him, but hid from him by the bank formed by the pit. Knowing how keen a sportsman he was, I was amazed at seeing him running up to me without his gun, just at the moment when the hares were passing us in all directions ; but when I saw him waving his Peruvian hat over his head, and distinguished his joyous countenance, I knew that all was right.
Page xxix - ... of turtles ; a walk of snipes ; a fall of woodcocks ; a brood of hens ; a building of rooks ; a murmuration of starlings ; an exaltation of larks ; a flight of swallows ; a host of sparrows ; a watch of nightingales ; and a charm of goldfinches.
Page 63 - Shall Chantrey be called a destroyer or not? He slaughters indeed his two birds at one shot : But pitying his victims, with gen'rous endeavour, To make more than amends, by his chisel so clever, He revives them to live on in marble for ever.

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