Every now and
then your path will be crossed by one of these busy old gentlemen,
worrying about with awkward gait, as if troubled with the gout, or
with corns on his toes, casting about many a prying look, turning down
first one eye, then the other, in earnest consideration, upon every
straw he meets with; until, espying some mighty twig, large enough to
make a rafter for his air-castle, he will seize upon it with avidity,
and hurry away with it to the tree-top; fearing, apparently, lest you
should dispute with him the invaluable prize.
Like other castle-builders, these airy architects seem rather fanciful
in the materials with which they build, and to like those most which
come from a distance. Thus, though there are abundance of dry twigs on
the surrounding trees, yet they never think of making use of them, but
go foraging in distant lands, and come sailing home, one by one, from
the ends of the earth, each bearing in his bill some precious piece of
timber.
Nor must I avoid mentioning what, I grieve to say, rather derogates
from the grave and honourable character of these ancient gentlefolk;
that, during the architectural season, they are subject to great
dissensions among themselves; that they make no scruple to defraud and
plunder each other; and that sometimes the rookery is a scene of
hideous brawl and commotion, in consequence of some delinquency of the
kind.
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