virgin Sisters pass beneath the shades;
Ascend the winding steps with pausing march,
And seek the Portico's susurrant arch;
Whose sculptur'd architrave on columns borne
Drinks the first blushes of the rising morn,
Whose fretted roof an ample shield displays,
And guards the Beauties from meridian rays.
While on light step enamour'd Zephyr springs,
And fans their glowing features with his wings, 430
Imbibes the fragrance of the vernal flowers,
And speeds with kisses sweet the dancing Hours.

Urania, leaning with unstudied grace,
Rests her white elbow on a column's base;
Awhile reflecting takes her silent stand,
Her fair cheek press'd upon her lily hand;
Then, as awaking from ideal trance,
On the smooth floor her pausing steps advance,
Waves high her arm, upturns her lucid eyes,
Marks the wide scenes of ocean, earth, and skies; 440
And leads, meandering as it rolls along
Through Nature's walks, the shining stream of Song.

First her sweet voice in plaintive accents chains
The Muse's ear with fascinating strains;
Reverts awhile to elemental strife,
The change of form, and brevity of life;
Then tells how potent Love with torch sublime
Relights the glimmering lamp, and conquers Time.
--The polish'd walls reflect her rosy smiles,
And sweet-ton'd echoes talk along the ailes. 450

END OF CANTO I.

ORIGIN OF SOCIETY.

CANTO II.

REPRODUCTION OF LIFE.

CONTENTS.

I. Brevity of Life 1. Reproduction 13. Animals improve 31. Life and
Death alternate 37. Adonis emblem of Mortal Life 45. II. Solitary
reproduction 61. Buds, Bulbs, Polypus 65. Truffle; Buds of trees how
generated 71. Volvox, Polypus, Taenia, Oysters, Corals, are without Sex
83. Storge goddess of Parental Love; First chain of Society 92. III.
Female sex produced 103. Tulip bulbs, Aphis 125. Eve from Adam's rib
135. IV. Hereditary diseases 159. Grafted trees, bulbous roots
degenerate 167. Gout, Mania, Scrofula, Consumption 177. Time and
Nature 185. V. Urania and the Muse lament 205. Cupid and Psyche, the
deities of sexual love 221. Speech of Hymen 239. Second chain of
Society 250. Young Desire 251. Love and Beauty save the world 257.
Vegetable sexes, Anthers and Stigmas salute 263. Vegetable sexual
generation 271. Anthers of Vallisneria float to the Stigmas 279. Ant,
Lampyris, Glow-Worm, Snail 287. Silk-Worm 293. VI. Demon of Jea