University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
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. The fourth edition. [by Erasmus Darwin]
Darwin, Erasmus (1731-1802)
  
[epigraph]

collapse section 
[section]
  
TO THE AUTHOR OF THE POEM ON THE LOVES OF THE PLANTS.
  
TO Dr. DARWIN.
  
TO Dr. DARWIN.
  
TO Dr. DARWIN.
  
Address to the River Derwent, on whose Banks the Author of the Botanic Garden resides.
collapse section 
THE BOTANIC GARDEN.
collapse sectionI. 
PART I. CONTAINING THE ECONOMY OF VEGETATION
 I. 
CANTO I.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI.
collapse sectionVII. 
VII.
 1. 
1.
 2. 
2.
 3. 
3.
 VIII. 
VIII.
 IX. 
IX.
 X. 
X.
 XI. 
XI.
 XII. 
XII.
  
[section]
collapse sectionII. 
CANTO II.
  
[prologue]
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
collapse sectionV. 
V.
 1. 
1.
 2. 
2.
 3. 
3.
 4. 
4.
collapse sectionVI. 
VI.
 1. 
1.
 2. 
2.
 VII. 
VII.
 VIII. 
VIII.
 IX. 
IX.
 X. 
X.
 XI. 
XI.
collapse sectionIII. 
CANTO III.
  
[prologue]
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
collapse sectionV. 
V.
 1. 
1.
 2. 
2.
 VI. 
VI.
 VII. 
VII.
collapse sectionVIII. 
VIII.
 IX. 
IX.
 X. 
X.
 XI. 
XI.
 XII. 
XII.
 XIII. 
XIII.
 XIV. 
XIV.
collapse sectionIV. 
CANTO IV.
  
[prologue]
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
collapse sectionIII. 
III.
 1. 
1.
 2. 
2.
collapse sectionIV. 
IV.
 1. 
1.
 2. 
2.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI.
 VII. 
VII.
 VIII. 
VIII.
 IX. 
IX.
collapse sectionX. 
X.
 1. 
1.
 2. 
2.
 3. 
3.
 XI. 
XI.
collapse sectionXII. 
XII.
 1. 
1.
 2. 
2.
 XIII. 
XIII.
collapse sectionXIV. 
XIV.
 1. 
1.
 2. 
2.
 XV. 
XV.
collapse sectionII. 
PART II. CONTAINING THE LOVES OF THE PLANTS
 I. 
CANTO I.
 II. 
CANTO II.
 III. 
CANTO III.
 IV. 
CANTO IV.

collapse section Collapse All | Expand All expand section
previous section The botanic garden, a poem
next section

XII.

“Pellucid Forms! whose crystal bosoms show
The shine of welfare, or the shade of woe;
Who with soft lips salute returning Spring,
And hail the Zephyr quivering on his wing;
Or watch, untired, the wintery clouds, and share
With streaming eyes my vegetable care;
Go, shove the dim mist from the mountain's brow,
Chase the white fog, which floods the vale below;
Melt the thick snows, that linger on the lands,
And catch the hailstones in your little hands;
Guard the coy blossom from the pelting shower,
And dash the rimy spangles from the bower,
169

From each chill leaf the silvery drops repel,
And close the timorous floret's golden bell.
170

“So should young Sympathy, in female form,
Climb the tall rock, spectatress of the storm;
Life's sinking wrecks with secret sighs deplore,
And bleed for others' woes, Herself on shore;
To friendless Virtue, gasping on the strand,
Bare her warm heart, her virgin arms expand,
Charm with kind looks, with tender accents cheer,
And pour the sweet consolatory tear;
Grief's cureless wounds with lenient balms asswage,
Or prop with firmer staff the steps of Age;
171

The lifted arm of mute Despair arrest,
And snatch the dagger pointed at his breast;
Or lull to slumber Envy's haggard mien,
And rob her quiver'd shafts with hand unseen.
—Sound, Nymphs of Helicon! the trump of Fame,
And teach Hibernian echoes Jones's name;
Bind round her polished brow the civic bay,
And drag the fair Philanthropist to day,—
So from secluded springs, and secret caves,
Her Liffy pours his bright meandering waves,
Cools the parch'd vale, the sultry mead divides,
And towns and temples star his shadowy sides.
previous section The botanic garden, a poem
next section