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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]

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[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.
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THE BOTANIC GARDEN.
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PART I. CONTAINING THE ECONOMY OF VEGETATION
 I. 
CANTO I.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI.
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VII.
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2.
 3. 
3.
 VIII. 
VIII.
 IX. 
IX.
 X. 
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 XI. 
XI.
 XII. 
XII.
  
[section]
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CANTO II.
  
[prologue]
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
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V.
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1.
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2.
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3.
 4. 
4.
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VI.
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1.
 2. 
2.
 VII. 
VII.
 VIII. 
VIII.
 IX. 
IX.
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X.
 XI. 
XI.
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CANTO III.
  
[prologue]
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
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V.
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1.
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2.
 VI. 
VI.
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VII.
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VIII.
 IX. 
IX.
 X. 
X.
 XI. 
XI.
 XII. 
XII.
 XIII. 
XIII.
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XIV.
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CANTO IV.
  
[prologue]
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
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III.
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1.
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2.
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IV.
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2.
 V. 
V.
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VI.
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VII.
 VIII. 
VIII.
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IX.
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X.
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1.
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2.
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3.
 XI. 
XI.
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XII.
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1.
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2.
 XIII. 
XIII.
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XIV.
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1.
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2.
 XV. 
XV.
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PART II. CONTAINING THE LOVES OF THE PLANTS
 I. 
CANTO I.
 II. 
CANTO II.
 III. 
CANTO III.
 IV. 
CANTO IV.

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VIII.

“When Air's pure essence joins the vital flood,
And with phosphoric Acid dyes the blood,
Your Virgin trains the transient Heat dispart,
And lead the soft combustion round the heart;
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Life's holy lamp with fires successive feed,
From the crown'd forehead to the prostrate weed,
From Earth's proud realms to all that swim or sweep
The yielding ether or tumultuous deep.
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You swell the bulb beneath the heaving lawn,
Brood the live seed, unfold the bursting spawn;
Nurse with soft lap, and warm with fragrant breath
The embryon panting in the arms of Death;
Youth's vivid eye with living light adorn,
And fire the rising blush of Beauty's golden morn.
“Thus when the Egg of Night, on Chaos hurl'd,
Burst, and disclosed the cradle of the world;
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First from the gaping shell refulgent sprung
Immortal Love, his bow celestial strung;—
O'er the wide waste his gaudy wings unfold,
Beam his soft smiles, and wave his curls of gold;—
With silver darts He pierced the kindling frame,
And lit with torch divine the ever-living flame.”
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