Page:Story of the robins.djvu/211

Rh placed his family where they had an opportunity of observing that this splendid pair had but little intrinsic merit. They were proud of their fine plumage, and their chief employment was walking backwards and forwards to display it; and sometimes they endeavoured to push through the bars of their prison, that they might get abroad to show their rich plumage to the world, and exult over those who were in this respect inferior to them.

"How hard," said one of them, "it is to be shut up here, where there are no other birds to admire us, and where we have no little ugly creatures to ridicule!" "If such are your desires," said the hen redbreast "I am sure you are happier here than at liberty; for you would by your proud, affected airs excite the contempt of every bird which has right sentiments, and consequently meet with continual mortification, to which even the ugliest might contribute."

Pecksy desired to know if all fine birds were proud and affected. "By no means," replied her mother; "you observed the other pair of pheasants, who were, in my opinion, nearly equal to these for beauty and elegance. How easy and unassuming were they! and how much were their charms improved by the graces of humility! I often