The botanic garden. A poem in two parts. Part I. Containing the Economy of vegetation. Part II. the Loves of the plants. With philosophical notes / [Erasmus Darwin].

  • Darwin, Erasmus, 1731-1802.
Date:
1791
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The botanic garden. A poem in two parts. Part I. Containing the Economy of vegetation. Part II. the Loves of the plants. With philosophical notes / [Erasmus Darwin]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    water fome hours before they venture to drink It; by which means they have been able to prevent their total deftruftion. Tills account, I flatter myfelf, will fatisfy the curiofity of my readers, and the few faffs which I have related will be confidered as a certain proof of the exiftence of this pernicious tree, and its penetrating effefls. If it be afked why we have not yet any more fatisfaffory accounts of this tree, I can only anfw'er, that the objeff to moll travellers to that part of the world confills more in commercial purfuits than in the lludy of Natural Hillory and the advancement of Sciences. Befides, Java is fo univerfally reputed an unhealthy illand, that rich travellers feldom make any long flay in it; and others want money, and generally are too ignorant of the language to travel, in order to make enquiries. In future, thofe who vifit this illand will now probably be induced to make it an objecfl: o f their refearches, and will fumilh us with a fuller defcription of this tree. I will therefore only add, that there exifls alfo a fort of Cajoe-Upas on the coafl of Macaflar, the poifon of which operates nearly in the fame manner, but is not half fo violent or malignant as that of Java, and of which I IhaU likewife give a more circum- flantial account in a defcription of that illand.—London Magazine. Fairy-fcene from Mr. Mundfs Necdwood Forejl. Referred to in Canto IV. 1. 35. HERE, feen of old, the elfin race \Vith fprightly vigils mark’d the place ; Their gay procelTions charm’d the fight. Gilding the lucid noon of night; Or, when obfcure the midnight hour. With glow-worm lanthems hung the bower, —Hark!—the foft lute!—along the green Moves with majeflic flep the Queen ! Attendant Fays around her throng. And trace the dance or raife the fong; Or touch the Ihrill reed, as they trip. With finger light and ruby lip. High, on her brow fublime, is borne One fcarlet w'oodbine’s tremulous horn; A gaudy Bee-bird’s* triple plume Sheds on her neck its waving gloom; With filvery goflamer entwin’d Stream the luxuriant locks behind. The humming-hird.