twobirds：
Littlegreenheron，nightheron，red-tailedhawk，yellow-billedcuckoo，kingfisher，flicker，humming-bird，swift，meadow-lark，red-
wingedblackbird，sharp-tailedfinch，songsparrow，chippingsparrow，bushsparrow，purplefinch，Baltimoreoriole，cowbunting，robin，woodthrush，thrasher，catbird，scarlettanager，red-eyedvireo，yellowwarbler，black-throatedgreenwarbler，kingbird，woodpeewee，crow，bluejay，cedar-bird，Marylandyellowthroat，chickadee，blackandwhitecreeper，barnswallow，white-breastedswallow，ovenbird，thistlefinch，vesperfinch，indigobunting，towhee，grasshopper-
sparrow，andscreechowl。
Thebirdswerestillinfullsong，foronLongIslandthereislittleabatementinthechorusuntilaboutthesecondweekofJuly，whentheblossomingofthechestnuttreespatchesthewoodlandwithfrothygreenish-yellow。[*]
[*]Alas！theblighthasnowdestroyedthechestnuttrees，androbbedourwoodsofoneoftheirdistinctivebeauties。
Ourmostbeautifulsingersarethewoodthrushes；theysingnotonlyintheearlymorningbutthroughoutthelonghotJuneafternoons。
Sometimestheysinginthetreesimmediatelyaroundthehouse，andiftheairisstillwecanalwayshearthemfromamongthetalltreesatthefootofthehill。Thethrasherssinginthehedgerowsbeyondthegarden，thecatbirdseverywhere。Thecatbirdshavesuchanattractivesongthatitisextremelyirritatingtoknowthatatanymomenttheymayinterruptittomewandsqueal。Thebold，cheerymusicoftherobinsalwaysseemstypicalofthebold，cheerybirdsthemselves。TheBaltimoreoriolesnestintheyoungelmsaroundthehouse，andtheorchardoriolesintheappletreesnearthegardenandoutbuildings。
Amongtheearliestsoundsofspringisthecheerful，simple，homelysongofthesong-sparrow；andinMarchwealsohearthepiercingcadenceofthemeadow-lark——tousoneofthemostattractiveofallbirdcalls。Oflateyearsnowandthenweheartherollicking，bubblingmelodyofthebobolinkinthepasturesbackofthebarn；andwhenthefullchorusoftheseandofmanyotherofthesingersofspringisdyingdown，therearesometruehot-weathersongsters，suchasthebrightlyhuedindigobuntingsandthistlefinches。Amongthefinchesoneofthemostmusicalandplaintivesongsisthatofthebush-sparrow——Idonotknowwhythebookscallitfield-sparrow，foritdoesnotdwellintheopenfieldslikethevesperfinch，thesavannah-sparrow，andgrasshopper-sparrow，butamongthecedarsandbayberrybushesandyounglocustsinthesameplaceswheretheprairiewarblerisfound。Norisitonlythetruesongsthatdelightus。Welovetoheartheflickerscall，andwereadilypardonanyoneoftheirnumberwhich，asoccasionallyhappens，isboldenoughtowakeusintheearlymorningbydrummingontheshinglesoftheroof。Inourearsthered-wingedblackbirdshaveaveryattractivenote。Welovethescreamingofthered-tailedhawksastheysoarhighoverhead，andeventhecallsofthenightheronthatnestinthetallwatermaplesbyoneofthewoodpondsonourplace，andthelittlegreenheronsthatnestbesidethesaltmarsh。Itishardtotelljusthowmuchoftheattractioninanybird-noteliesinthemusicitselfandhowmuchintheassociations。Thisiswhatmakesitsouselesstotrytocomparethebirdsongsofonecountrywiththoseofanother。Amanwhoisworthanythingcannomorebeentirelyimpartialinspeakingofthebirdsongswithwhichfromhisearliestchildhoodhehasbeenfamiliarthanhecanbeentirelyimpartialinspeakingofhisownfamily。
AtSagamoreHillweloveagreatmanythings——birdsandtreesandbooks，andallthingsbeautiful，andhorsesandriflesandchildrenandhardworkandthejoyoflife。Wehavegreatfireplaces，andinthemthelogsroarandcrackleduringthelongwinterevenings。Thebigpiazzaisforthehot，stillafternoonsofsummer。Asineveryhouse，therearethingsthatappealtothehouseholderbecauseoftheirassociations，butwhichwouldnotmeanmuchtoothers。
Naturally，anymanwhohasbeenPresident，andfilledotherpositions，accumulatessuchthings，withscantregardtohisownpersonalmerits。
PerhapsourmostcherishedpossessionsareaRemingtonbronze，“TheBroncoBuster。”givenmebymymenwhentheregimentwasmusteredout，andabigTiffanysilvervasegiventoMrs。RooseveltbytheenlistedmenofthebattleshipLouisianaafterwereturnedfromacruiseonhertoPanama。Itwasarealsurprisegift，presentedtoherintheWhiteHouse，onbehalfofthewholecrew，byfourasstrappingman-of-war’s-
menaseverswungaturretorpointedatwelve-inchgun。TheenlistedmenofthearmyIalreadyknewwell——ofcourseIknewwelltheofficersofbotharmyandnavy。ButtheenlistedmenofthenavyI
onlygrewtoknowwellwhenIwasPresident。OntheLouisianaMrs。
RooseveltandIoncedinedatthechiefpettyofficers’mess，andonanotherbattleship，theMissouri(whenIwasincompanywithAdmiralEvansandCaptainCowles)，andagainontheSylphandontheMayflower，wealsodinedasguestsofthecrew。WhenwefinishedourtripontheLouisianaImadeashortspeechtotheassembledcrew，andatitscloseoneofthepettyofficers，theverypictureofwhataman-of-war’s-manshouldlooklike，proposedthreecheersformeintermsthatstruckmeascuriouslyillustrativeofAmericaatherbest；
hesaid，“Nowthen，men，threecheersforTheodoreRoosevelt，thetypicalAmericancitizen！”ThatwasthewayinwhichtheythoughtoftheAmericanPresident——andaverygoodway，too。ItwasanexpressionthatwouldhavecomenaturallyonlytomeninwhomtheAmericanprinciplesofgovernmentandlifewereingrained，justastheywereingrainedinthemenofmyregiment。Ineedscarcelyadd，butIwilladdforthebenefitofthosewhodonotknow，thatthisattitudeofself-respectingidentificationofinterestandpurposeisnotonlycompatiblewithbutcanonlyexistwhenthereisfineandrealdiscipline，asthoroughandgenuineasthedisciplinethathasalwaysobtainedinthemostformidablefightingfleetsandarmies。Thedisciplineandthemutualrespectarecomplementary，notantagonistic。
DuringthePresidencyallofus，butespeciallythechildren，becameclosefriendswithmanyofthesailormen。ThefourbearersofthevasetoMrs。Rooseveltwerepromptlyhailedasdelightfulbigbrothersbyourtwosmallestboys，whoatoncetookthemtoseethesightsofWashingtoninthelandau——“thePresident’sland-ho！”as，withseafaringhumor，ourguestsimmediatelystyledit。Once，afterwewereinprivatelifeagain，Mrs。Rooseveltwasinarailwaystationandhadsomedifficultywithherticket。Afine-looking，quietmansteppedupandaskedifhecouldbeofhelp；heremarkedthathehadbeenoneoftheMayflower’screw，andknewuswell；andinanswertoaquestionexplainedthathehadleftthenavyinordertostudydentistry，andadded——adelicioustouch——thatwhilethuspreparinghimselftobeadentisthewasearningthenecessarymoneytogoonwithhisstudiesbypracticingtheprofessionofaprize-fighter，beingagoodmaninthering。
Therearevariousbronzesinthehouse：Saint-Gaudens’s“Puritan。”atokenfrommystaffofficerswhenIwasGovernor；Proctor’scougar，thegiftoftheTennisCabinet——whoalsogaveusabeautifulsilverbowl，whichisalwayslovinglypronouncedtorhymewith“owl“becausethatwasthepronunciationusedatthetimeofthegivingbythevaluedfriendwhoactedasspokesmanforhisfellow-members，andwhowashimselftheonlynon-AmericanmemberofthesaidCabinet。ThereisahorsemanbyMacmonnies，andabigbronzevasebyKemys，anadaptationordevelopmentofthepotteryvasesoftheSouthwesternIndians。Mixedwithallofthesearegiftsfromvariedsources，rangingfromabrazenBuddhasentmebytheDalaiLamaandawonderfulpsalterfromtheEmperorMeneliktoapricelessancientSamuraisword，comingfromJapaninremembranceofthepeaceofPortsmouth，andabeautifullyinlaidminiaturesuitofJapanesearmor，givenmebyafavoriteheroofmine，AdmiralTogo，whenhevisitedSagamoreHill。
TherearethingsfromEuropeanfriends；amosaicpictureofPopeLeoXIIIinhisgarden；ahuge，veryhandsomeeditionoftheNibelungenlied；astrikingminiatureofJohnHampdenfromWindsorCastle；editionsofDante，andthecampaignsof“EugeniovonSavoy“
(anotherofmyheroes，adeadherothistime)；aVikingcup；thestateswordofaUgandaking；thegoldboxinwhichthe“freedomofthecityofLondon“wasgivenme；abeautifulheadofAbrahamLincolngivenmebytheFrenchauthoritiesaftermyspeechattheSorbonne；andmanyotherthingsfromsourcesasdiverseastheSultanofTurkeyandtheDowagerEmpressofChina。Thentherearethingsfromhomefriends：aPolarbearskinfromPeary；aSiouxbuffalorobewith，onit，paintedbysomelong-deadSiouxartist，thepicturestoryofCuster’sfight；abronzeportraitplaqueofJoelChandlerHarris；thecandlestickusedinsealingtheTreatyofPortsmouth，sentmebyCaptainCameronWinslow；ashoewornbyDanPatchwhenhepacedamilein1：59，sentmebyhisowner。ThereisapictureofabullmoosebyCarlRungius，whichseemstomeasspiritedananimalpaintingasIhaveeverseen。
Inthenorthroom，withitstablesandmantelpieceanddesksandchestsmadeofwoodssentfromthePhilippinesbyarmyfriends，orbyotherfriendsforotherreasons；withitsbisonandwapitiheads；
therearethreepaintingsbyMarcusSymonds——“WhereLightandShadowMeet。”“ThePorcelainTowers。”and“TheSeatsoftheMighty“；heisdeadnow，andhehadscantrecognitionwhilehelived，yetsurelyhewasagreatimaginativeartist，awonderfulcolorist，andamanwithavisionmorewonderfulstill。ThereisoneofLungren’spicturesoftheWesternplains；andapictureoftheGrandCanyon；andonebyaScandinavianartistwhocouldseethefiercepicturesquenessofworkadayPittsburgh；andsketchesoftheWhiteHousebySargentandbyHopkinsonSmith。
Thebooksareeverywhere。Thereareasmanyinthenorthroomandintheparlor——isdrawing-roomamoreappropriatenamethanparlor？——asinthelibrary；thegun-roomatthetopofthehouse，whichincidentallyhastheloveliestviewofall，containsmorebooksthananyoftheotherrooms；andtheyareparticularlydelightfulbookstobrowseamong，justbecausetheyhavenotmuchrelevancetooneanother，thisbeingoneofthereasonswhytheyarerelegatedtotheirpresentabode。Butthebookshaveoverflowedintoalltheotherroomstoo。
Icouldnotnameanyprincipleuponwhichthebookshavebeengathered。Booksarealmostasindividualasfriends。Thereisnoearthlyuseinlayingdowngenerallawsaboutthem。Somemeettheneedsofoneperson，andsomeofanother；andeachpersonshouldbewareofthebooklover’sbesettingsin，ofwhatMr。EdgarAllanPoecalls“themadprideofintellectuality。”takingtheshapeofarrogantpityforthemanwhodoesnotlikethesamekindofbooks。Ofcoursetherearebookswhichamanorwomanusesasinstrumentsofaprofession——lawbooks，medicalbooks，cookerybooks，andthelike。I
amnotspeakingofthese，fortheyarenotproperly“books“atall；
theycomeinthecategoryoftime-tables，telephonedirectories，andotherusefulagenciesofcivilizedlife。Iamspeakingofbooksthataremeanttoberead。Personally，grantedthatthesebooksaredecentandhealthy，theonetesttowhichIdemandthattheyallsubmitisthatofbeinginteresting。Ifthebookisnotinterestingtothereader，theninallbutaninfinitesimalnumberofcasesitgivesscantbenefittothereader。Ofcourseanyreaderoughttocultivatehisorhertastesothatgoodbookswillappealtoit，andthattrashwon’t。Butafterthispointhasoncebeenreached，theneedsofeachreadermustbemetinafashionthatwillappealtothoseneeds。
PersonallythebooksbywhichIhaveprofitedinfinitelymorethanbyanyothershavebeenthoseinwhichprofitwasaby-productofthepleasure；thatis，IreadthembecauseIenjoyedthem，becauseIlikedreadingthem，andtheprofitcameinaspartoftheenjoyment。
Ofcourseeachindividualisapttohavesomespecialtastesinwhichhecannotexpectthatanybutafewfriendswillshare。Now，Iamveryproudofmybig-gamelibrary。Isupposetheremustbemanybig-gamelibrariesinContinentalEurope，andpossiblyinEngland，moreextensivethanmine，butIhavenothappenedtocomeacrossanysuchlibraryinthiscountry。Someoftheoriginalsgobacktothesixteenthcentury，andtherearecopiesorreproductionsofthetwoorthreemostfamoushuntingbooksoftheMiddleAges，suchastheDukeofYork’stranslationofGastonPhoebus，andthequeerbookoftheEmperorMaximilian。ItisonlyveryoccasionallythatImeetanyonewhocaresforanyofthesebooks。Ontheotherhand，Iexpecttofindmanyfriendswhowillturnnaturallytosomeoftheoldorthenewbooksofpoetryorromanceorhistorytowhichweofthehouseholdhabituallyturn。Letmeaddthatoursisinnosenseacollector’slibrary。Eachbookwasprocuredbecausesomeoneofthefamilywishedtoreadit。Wecouldneveraffordtotakeovermuchthoughtfortheoutsidesofbooks；weweretoomuchinterestedintheirinsides。
