"Everything doth banish moan,
Save the nightingale alone.
She, poor bird, as all forlorn,
Lean'd her breast up till a thorn,
And there sung the dolefull'st ditty,
That to hear it was great pity."
The Blackbird originally White.
There is a curious story of the blackbird that its original color was white, but it became black because one year three of the days were so cold that it had to take refuge in a chimney. Mr. Swainson says that "these three days (January 30th, 31st and February 1st) are called in the neighborhood of Brescia, 'I giorni della merla,' the blackbird's days."
The Dove.
The dove amongst birds, from its gentle and loving nature in the first place, and in the second from the purity of its plumage, has been preferably selected as the image of the Holy Ghost.
According to an apocryphal gospel, the Holy Ghost, under the form of a dove, designated Joseph as the spouse of the Virgin Mary by alighting on his head; and in the same manner, says Eusebius, was Fabian indicated as the divinely-appointed Bishop of Rome. According to a singular legend, the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, was present at the Council of Nice, and signed the creed that was there framed! There are many legends of a similar character.
At the consecration of Clovis the divine dove is said actually to have presided over the Christian destinies of France. Clovis and the Bishop of Rheims, St. Remi, proceeded in procession to the baptistry, where the chief of the Franks was to be consecrated king and made a Christian. When they arrived there, the priest, bearing the holy chrism, was stopped by the crowd, and could not reach the font. But a dove, whiter than snow, brought thither in her beak the "ampoule" (a phial of white glass) filled with chrism sent from heaven. St. Remi took the vessel and perfumed with chrism the baptismal water.
In a painted window at Lincoln College, Oxford, Elisha the prophet is represented with a double-headed dove seated on his shoulder. This becomes intelligent on referring to his petition to Elijah, when he entreated that "a double portion" of his spirit might rest upon him.
The dove, as a harbinger of good news, is alluded to in one of Martial's epigrams—
"A dove soft glided through the air
On Aretulla's bosom bare.
This might seem chance, did she not stay,
Nor would, permissive, wing her way.
But, if a pious sister's vows
The Master of mankind allows,
This envoy of Sardoan skies
From the returning exile flies."