The coming musk-rose, full of dewy wine,

The murmurous haunt of flies on summer eves. Darkling I listen; and for many a time

I have been half in love with easeful Death, Call'd him soft names in many a mused rhyme, To take into the air my quiet breath;

Now more than ever seems it rich to die,

To cease upon the midnight with no pain,
While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad
In such an ecstasy!

Still wouldst thou sing, and I have ears in vain -
To thy high requiem become a sod.

Thou wast not born for death, immortal bird!
No hungry generations tread thee down;
The voice I hear this passing night was heard
In ancient days by emperor and clown:
Perhaps the self-same song that found a path
Through the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home,
She stood in tears amid the alien corn:

The same that oft-times hath

Charmed magic casements, opening on the foam
Of perilous seas, in færy lands forlorn.

(KEATS: Ode to a Nightingale)

A NIGHT IN THE OPEN

Night is a dead monotonous period under a roof; but in the open world it passes lightly, with its stars and dews and perfumes, and the hours are marked by changes in the face of Nature. What seems a kind of temporal death to people choked between walls and curtains, is only a light and living slumber to a man who sleeps afield. All night long he can hear Nature breathing

deeply and freely; even as she takes her rest, she turns and smiles; and there is one stirring hour unknown to those who dwell in houses, when a wakeful influence goes abroad over the sleeping hemisphere, and all the outdoor world are on their feet. It is then that the cock first crows, not this time to announce the dawn, but like a cheerful watchman speeding the course of night. Cattle awake on the meadows; sheep break their fast on dewy hillsides, and change to a new lair among the ferns; and houseless men, who have lain down with the fowls, open their dim eyes and behold the beauty of the night.

(STEVENSON: Travels with a Donkey)

CHAPTER V

THE SOUNDS OF THE LANGUAGE (CONSONANTS)

As has been stated, the consonant sounds are those produced by forcing the breath, in some cases vocalized, in others unvocalized, against obstructions formed by organs of articulation. This concise general definition must be elaborated for the sake of clearness and exactness. First, it will be remembered that the organs of articulation, the lips, teeth, tongue, and hard and soft palates, play a considerable part in the production of vowel sounds. In a few cases there is even a joining of the tongue with the teeth or palate. But it is correct to say that the vowel sounds are, relatively, unobstructed by articulation of the organs of the mouth. In the case of the consonants, excepting the breath sound, h, marked barriers are formed. When these barriers completely shut off the breath current, as in the case of p, b, t, d, etc., the resulting consonants are called explosives, because the breath bursts suddenly through the obstruction. When the barriers are only partial, as in the case of f, v, l, r, etc., the sounds are called continuants, because they may be prolonged indefinitely. Another essential observation is that some of the consonant sounds are made with the vocal bands so far apart that there is no murmur, or vocal sound, in their production; for example, p, f, and t. These are variously known as pure consonants, unvoiced consonants, surds, atonics,

or aspirates. The remainder are made with the vocal bands near together as for the vowel sounds. These, typified by b, d, and g, have the vocal murmur, and are variously termed semi-consonants, voiced consonants, subvocals, tonics, or sonants. Finally, there are several pairs of aspirates and sonants, called cognates, which have the same articulation and differ only in being vocalized or unvocalized. The following tables list the sounds belonging to the classes just defined:

Just as each vowel sound depends upon a particular conformation of the walls of the pharynx and mouth, so each consonant sound depends upon a specific adjustment of the organs of articulation. Inasmuch as dis