清晨的圣乐

Wilson Flagg ，1806—1884，was born in Beverly，Mass.He pursued his academical course in Andover，at Phillips Academy，and entered Harvard College，but did not graduate.His chief works are: “Studies in the Field and Forest，”“The Woods and Byways of New England，”and “The Birds and Seasons of New England.”

Nature，for the delight of waking eyes，has arrayed the morning heavens in the loveliest hues of beauty.Fearing to dazzle by an excess of delight，she first announces day by a faint and glimmering twilight，then sheds a purple tint over the brows of the rising morn，and infuses a transparent ruddiness throughout the atmosphere.As daylight widens，successive groups of mottled and rosy-bosomed clouds assemble on the gilded sphere，and，crowned with wreaths of fickle rainbows，spread a mirrored flush over hill，grove，and lake，and every village spire is burnished with their splendor.

At length，through crimsoned vapors，we behold the sun's broad disk，rising with a countenance so serene that every eye may view him ere he arrays himself in his meridian brightness.Not many people who live in towns are aware of the pleasure attending a ramble near the woods and orchards at daybreak in the early part of summer.The drowsiness we feel on rising from our beds is gradually dispelled by the clear and healthful breezes of early day，and we soon experience an unusual amount of vigor and elasticity.

During the night，the stillness of all things is the circumstance that most powerfully attracts our notice，rendering us peculiarly sensitive to every accidental sound that meets the ear.In the morning，at this time of year，on the contrary，we are overpowered by the vocal and multitudinous chorus of the feathered tribe.If you would hear the commencement of this grand anthem of nature，you must rise at the very first appearance of dawn，before the twilight has formed a complete semicircle above the eastern porch of heaven.

The first note that proceeds from the little warbling host，is the shrill chirp of the hairbird，——occasionally vocal at an hours on a warm summer night.This strain，which is a continued trilling sound，is repeated with diminishing intervals，until it becomes almost incessant.But ere the hairbird has uttered many notes，a single robin begins to warble from a neighboring orchard，soon followed by others，increasing in numbers until，by the time the eastern sky is flushed with crim-son，every male，robin in the country round is singing with fervor.

It would be difficult to note the exact order in which the different birds successively begin their parts in this performance；but the bluebird，whose song is only a short，mellow warble，is heard nearly at the same time with the robin，and the song sparrow joins them soon after with his brief but finely modulated strain.The different species follow rapidly，one after another，in the chorus，until the whole welkin rings with their matin hymn of gladness.

I have often wondered that the almost simultaneous utterance of so many different notes should produce no discords，and that they should result in such complete harmony.In this multitudinous confusion of voices，no two notes are confounded，and none has sufficient duration to grate harshly with a dissimilar sound.Though each performer sings only a few strains and then makes a pause，the whole multitude succeed one another with such rapidity that we hear an uninterrupted flow of music until the broad light of day invites them to other employments.

When there is just light enough to distinguish the birds，we may observe，here and there，a single swallow perched on the roof of a barn or shed，repeating two twittering notes incessantly，with a quick turn and a hop at every note he utters.It would seem to be the design of the bird to attract the attention of his mate，and this motion seems to be made to assist her in discovering his position.As soon as the light has tempted him to fly abroad，this twittering strain is uttered more like a continued song，as he flits rapidly through the air.

But at this later moment the purple martins have commenced their more melodious chattering，so loud as to attract for a while the most of our attention.There is not a sound in nature so cheering and animating as the song of the purple martin，and none so well calculated to drive away melancholy.Though not one of the earliest voices to be heard，the chorus is perceptibly more loud and effective when this bird has united with the choir.

When the flush of the morning has brightened into vermilion，and the place from which the sun is soon to emerge has attained a dazzling brilliancy，the robins are already less tuneful.They are now becoming busy in collecting food for their morning repast，and one by one they leave the trees，and may be seen hopping upon the tilled ground，in quest of the worms and insects that，have crept out during the night from their subterranean retreats.

But as the robins grow silent，the bobolinks begin their vocal revelries；and to a fanciful mind it might seem that the robins had gradually resigned their part in the performance to the bobolinks，not one of which is heard until some of the former have concluded their songs.The little hairbird still continues his almost incessant chirping，the first to begin and the last to quit the performance.Though the voice of this bird is not very sweetly modulated，it blends harmoniously with the notes of other birds，and greatly increases the charming effect of the combination.

It would be tedious to name all the birds that take part in this chorus；but we must not omit the pewee，with his melancholy ditty，occasionally heard like a short minor strain in an oratorio；nor the oriole，who is really one of the chief performers，and who，as his bright plumage flashes upon the sight，warbles forth a few notes so clear and mellow as to be beard above every other sound.Adding a pleasing variety to all this harmony，the lisping notes of the meadowlark，uttered in a shrill tone，and with a peculiar pensive modulation，are plainly audible，with short rests between each repetition.

There is a little brown sparrow，resembling the hairbird，save a general tint of russet in his plumage，that may be heard distinctly among the warbling host.He is rarely seen in cultivated grounds，but frequents the wild pastures，and is the bird that warbles so sweetly at midsummer，when the whortleberries are ripe，and the fields are beautifully spangled with red lilies.

There is no confusion in the notes of his song，which consists of one syllable rapidly repeated，but increasing in rapidity and rising to a higher key towards the conclusion.He sometimes prolongs his strain，when his notes are observed to rise and fall in succession.These plaintive and expressive notes are very loud and constantly uttered，during the hour that precedes the rising of the sun.A dozen warblers of this species，singing in concert，and distributed in different parts of the field，form，perhaps，the most delightful part of the woodland oratorio to which we have listened.

At sunrise hardly a robin can be beard in the whole neighborhood，and the character of the performance has completely changed during the last half hour.The first part was more melodious and tranquilizing，the last is more brilliant and animating.The grass finches，the vireos，the wrens，and the linnets have joined their voices to the chorus，and the bobolinks are loudest in their song.But the notes of the birds in general are not so incessant as before sunrise.One by one they discontinue their lays，until at high noon the bobolink and the warbling flycatcher are almost the only vocalists to be heard in the fields.

译文　TRANSLATION

威尔逊·弗拉格生于1806年，卒于1884年。他的主要作品包括《林野读书记》《森林与小路》《鸟与四季》。

为让醒来的人们赏心悦目，大自然用最可爱的色彩装点着清晨的天空。担心过度欢愉让人们目乱神迷，她先用淡淡的、闪烁的微光宣告一天的到来，接着，她在清晨的眉宇间涂上一抹紫色，并用鲜红浸润了天空。随着天色越来越亮，一组组斑驳的、玫瑰色的云在金色的天空中聚集，云间垂下一弯斑斓的彩虹，丘峦、树林、湖面都映照着红光，每个村庄教堂的尖塔也在辉煌的霞彩中熠熠生辉。

终于，透过绯红的水汽，我们看到朝阳像圆盘一样冉冉升起，它是那样宁静，每双眼睛都可以在它的光芒达到极致之前观看它。住在城里，只有为数不多的人能够体认这种乐趣：夏日的清晨漫步树林、果园。起床时的倦意渐渐被清晨清新、怡人的微风驱散，不一会儿，我们就感觉精力特别充沛、身体特别灵活。

晚上，万籁俱寂。这时，每一个传到我们耳畔的偶然的声响都引起我们特别的注意。与之相反，在一年中的这一时段，清晨，我们都会被羽族的婉转的合唱征服。如果你想聆听大自然这首宏大的赞美诗的开始乐段，你必须在拂晓时就起床——那时，东方的天际，熹微的晨光还没有形成它的半圆。

在这清音百啭的一族中，第一声啁啾来自啼声清脆的梳妆鸟——有时，在温暖的夏夜，也会听到它的歌声。这一乐段是段持续的颤音，回环往复中间隔时间越来越短，最后，它几乎连成一气。但没等梳妆鸟唱多久，邻近果园的一只知更鸟也开始卖弄它婉转的歌喉，不久，越来越多的鸟加入了合唱。当东方的天空亮起绯红的霞彩时，乡村里每只雄性的知更鸟都在纵情歌唱。

很难辨认出不同的鸟在这场演出中确切的出场顺序，但蓝知更鸟短促、醇厚的啼声几乎总是与其他知更鸟的鸣声一同响起，可歌雀则是唱完一段较短的转音之后才加入知更鸟的合唱。很快地，不同种类的鸟呼朋引伴地加入这场合唱，直到整个天宇响彻它们欢乐的晨祷。

我时常觉得不解：那么多不同的鸟儿几乎同时发声竟然没有产生任何不谐和，竟然营造出那么浑然的和谐。这么多声音交织在一起，却没有哪两个声音弄混。没有任何一个音有足够的音长去妨碍某个不同的音。尽管每个表演者都只唱几段，然后就休息，但这些鸟彼此衔接得如此迅速以致我们听不出音乐的中断，直到天光大亮，这些鸟儿去寻找新的快乐。

当光线亮到足以分辨这群鸟时，我们可以注意到，一只燕子栖落在谷仓或棚子顶部，一边不停呢喃，一边每唱一个音就快速转身、跳行一下。这些设计是为引起其配偶的注意，同时，这一动作似乎有助于她发现配偶的位置。当阳光诱使雄燕飞向外面的世界时，这呢喃更像一首持续的歌，伴他从空中一掠而过。

而再过一会儿，紫色的雨燕开始唱出它们更具旋律性的歌，那么嘹亮，一时间吸引了我们大部分的注意。大自然中，没有哪一个声音像雨燕的歌声那样令人心旷神怡、那样令人生机勃发。没有什么比雨燕的歌更适于赶走忧愁。虽然雨燕不是我们最早听到的歌声，但它们的加入却显然使整个合唱更嘹亮、更富于感染力。

当朝霞转成朱红，太阳即将升起的地方变得璀璨夺目。知更鸟现在正忙着准备早餐，只好有一搭没一搭地应和着。它们渐次飞出树林，有的在犁过的土地上跳跃着——寻找夜里从地下爬出的虫子。

但知更鸟不唱了，食米鸟却开始百啭千鸣。对于一个善于遐想的人来说，似乎知更鸟渐渐将自己在演出中的角色让渡给了食米鸟，因为在知更鸟停止歌唱前是听不到食米鸟的歌声的。娇小的梳妆鸟仍在继续它的嘀呖，在晨间演出中，它们总是第一个加入最后一个离开。尽管梳妆鸟的歌声并不十分甜美，可却能和其他鸟儿的歌声和谐地交融在一起，从而大大提升整个合唱的魅力。

若将参加合唱的所有鸟的名字都一一道出，想必会冗长得令人生厌。但我们绝不能忽略美洲小燕，它忧伤的谣曲有时听上去像一部清唱剧中短小的乐段。黄鹂也不容忘记，实际上它是演出的主角，它一出现，明丽的毛羽就点亮了整个风景，透明、醇厚的歌喉就在众声和鸣中特立独出，为整个合唱增添了一段令人赏心悦目的变奏。草地鹨的歌声也很悦耳，娇痴、清脆中带一丝独特感伤的意味，回环复沓间有短暂的停顿。

有一种小棕雀，除了毛羽间杂有红褐色之外，外形和梳妆鸟很像。它的歌声在合唱中也很容易辨认。在田间几乎看不到它的身影，它经常出现在茂密的草丛中。仲夏时节，它的歌声尤为甜美；这段日子里，越橘熟了，田野里开满红百合。

它的歌声里没有含混，只是一个音节在快速地重复，速度越来越快，音高也越来越高。偶尔它会延长乐段，这时可以注意到它的音调升降交错。在太阳升起前那一小时内，这些哀伤、动人的音符绵绵不绝。十几只小棕雀，在原野的不同角落，齐声合唱，构成我们所听到的林间圣乐中最欢快的乐段。

日出时分，周围几乎听不到知更鸟的歌声，在最后半小时内演出的风格完全变了。第一乐章更悠扬、宁谧，而最后一个乐章则更华彩、昂扬。草雀、绿鹃、鹪鹩和红雀都加入了合唱，而数食米鸟的歌声最嘹亮，但整体上群鸟的歌声不像日出前那样此起彼伏、绵绵不断。它们一个接一个地停止了歌唱。到了正午，田间几乎只能听到食米鸟和捕蝇鸟的鸣啭。