th what Gibbon says of the Roman empire at the time,
consisting of the "tyrants" (lions)--"soldiers," scattered through
the vast and various provinces, and "barbarians"--Goths, indicated
by the bear!

I may observe, further, that the "locusts and crawling things like
scorpions," issuing out of the smoke, are, first, locusts--the
innumerable northern armies; secondly, "crawling things like
scorpions"--the loathsome vileness attributed to nature by the
succession of Gnostic sects, depraving the beautiful code of
Christianity, and all agreeing in one doctrine, derived from the
Chaldean philosophers. The Genius of Evil, according to the
philosophy of the Chaldeans, produced the body, as Orosmades the
soul! Hence "forbidding to marry," unnatural austerities, &c.; and
remark, one book of Tertullian to the Gnostics is called--what?
Scorpio.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 112: These sonnets have been printed in their chronological
order in the preceding volume of Mr Bowles' poems.]

[Footnote 113: Particularly Joanna Baillie, Mrs Hemans, Miss Landon, and
my namesake--no otherwise related than by love of kindred
music--Caroline Bowles.]

[Footnote 114: Criminals were banished to this island.]

[Footnote 115: The period is uncertain.]

[Footnote 116: Now Tino.]

[Footnote 117: See the first chapter of Revelation.]

[Footnote 118: Transfiguration on Mount Tabor.]

[Footnote 119: Rev. i. 17, 18.]

[Footnote 120: Domitian, who had banished him, and who had so proclaimed
himself, was now dead, but without its being known to St John.]

[Footnote 121: See the harrowing account of the siege of Jerusalem, when
the prophecy in St Matthew was fulfilled to the letter.]

[Footnote 122: Josephus.]

[Footnote 123: Rev. iv. 3.]

[Footnote 124: Rev. iv. 3.]

[Footnote 125: Rev. iv. 4.]

[Footnote 126: A chasm is shown in the cave, from which it is said the
voice in the Revelation proceeded.]

[Footnote 127: Rev. iv. 6. I follow the best expositors in making those
appearances (translated "beasts") the higher order of angels.]

[Footnote 128: Rev. v. 2.]

[Footnote 129: The book would be utterly and for ever sealed, but for
our Lord Jesus Christ.]

[Footnote 130: Quails and rock pigeons are the only land-birds on the
island, as there are no bushes.]

[Footnote 131: The islands of the AEgean are divided into the Sporades
and Clycades; Patmos is among the S