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
120

X.

“Go, gentle Gnomes! resume your vernal toil,
Seek my chill tribes, which sleep beneath the soil;
On grey-moss banks, green meads, or furrow'd lands
Spread the dark mould, white lime, and crumbling sands;
Each bursting bud with healthier juices feed,
Emerging scion, or awaken'd seed.
So, in descending streams, the silver Chyle
Streaks with white clouds the golden floods of Bile;
Through each nice valve the mingling currents glide,
Join their fine rills, and swell the sanguine tide;
Each countless cell, and viewless fibre seek,
Nerve the strong arm, and tinge the blushing cheek.
“Oh, watch, where bosom'd in the teeming earth,
Green swells the germ, impatient for its birth;
Guard from rapacious worms its tender shoots,
And drive the mining beetle from its roots;
With ceaseless efforts rend the obdurate clay,
And give my vegetable babes to day!
121

—Thus when an Angel-form, in light array'd;
Like Howard pierced the prison's noisome shade;
Where chain'd to earth, with eyes to heaven upturn'd,
The kneeling Saint in holy anguish mourn'd;—
Ray'd from his lucid vest, and halo'd brow
O'er the dark roof celestial lustres glow,
“Peter, arise!” with cheering voice He calls,
And sounds seraphic echo round the walls;
Locks, bolts, and chains his potent touch obey,
And pleased he leads the exulting Sage to day.
previous section The botanic garden, a poem
next section