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

1.

“You charm'd, indulgent Sylphs! their learned toil,
And crown'd with fame your Torricell, and Boyle;
192

Taught with sweet smiles, responsive to their prayer,
The spring and pressure of the viewless air.
193

—How up exhausted tubes bright currents flow
Of liquid silver from the lake below,
Weigh the long column of the incumbent skies,
And with the changeful moment fall and rise.
—How, as in brazen pumps the pistons move,
The membrane-valve sustains the weight above;
Stroke follows stroke, the gelid vapour falls,
And misty dew-drops dim the crystal walls;
Rare and more rare expands the fluid thin,
And Silence dwells with Vacancy within.—
So in the mighty Void with grim delight
Primeval Silence reign'd with ancient Night.
previous section The botanic garden, a poem
next section