The Temple of Nature; or, the Origin of Society - Darwin Erasmus

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With her the Muse laments the sum of things,

       And hides her sorrows with her meeting wings;

       Long o'er the wrecks of lovely Life they weep,

       Then pleased reflect, "to die is but to sleep;" 210

       From Nature's coffins to her cradles turn,

       Smile with young joy, with new affection burn.

      And now the Muse, with mortal woes impress'd,

       Thus the fair Hierophant again address'd.

       —"Ah me! celestial Guide, thy words impart

       Ills undeserved, that rend the nascent heart!

       O, Goddess, say, if brighter scenes improve

       Air-breathing tribes, and births of sexual love?"—

       The smiling Fair obeys the inquiring Muse,

       And in sweet tones her grateful task pursues. 220

      "Now on broad pinions from the realms above

       Descending Cupid seeks the Cyprian grove;

       To his wide arms enamour'd Psyche springs, And clasps her lover with aurelian wings. A purple sash across His shoulder bends, And fringed with gold the quiver'd shafts suspends; The bending bow obeys the silken string, And, as he steps, the silver arrows ring. Thin folds of gauze with dim transparence flow O'er Her fair forehead, and her neck of snow; 230 The winding woof her graceful limbs surrounds, Swells in the breeze, and sweeps the velvet grounds; As hand in hand along the flowery meads His blushing bride the quiver'd hero leads; Charm'd round their heads pursuing Zephyrs throng, And scatter roses, as they move along; Bright beams of Spring in soft effusion play, And halcyon Hours invite them on their way.

      "Delighted Hymen hears their whisper'd vows,

       And binds his chaplets round their polish'd brows, 240

       Guides to his altar, ties the flowery bands,

       And as they kneel, unites their willing hands.

       'Behold, he cries, Earth! Ocean! Air above,

       'And hail the Deities of Sexual Love!

       'All forms of Life shall this fond Pair delight,

       'And sex to sex the willing world unite;

       'Shed their sweet smiles in Earth's unsocial bowers,

       'Fan with soft gales, and gild with brighter hours;

       'Fill Pleasure's chalice unalloy'd with pain,

       'And give Society his golden chain.' 250

      "Now young Desires, on purple pinions borne,

       Mount the warm gales of Manhood's rising morn;

       With softer fires through virgin bosoms dart,

       Flush the pale cheek, and goad the tender heart.

       Ere the weak powers of transient Life decay,

       And Heaven's ethereal image melts away;

       Love with nice touch renews the organic frame,

       Forms a young Ens, another and the same;

       Gives from his rosy lips the vital breath,

       And parries with his hand the shafts of death; 260

       While Beauty broods with angel wings unfurl'd O'er nascent life, and saves the sinking world.

       "Hence on green leaves the sexual Pleasures dwell,

       And Loves and Beauties crowd the blossom's bell;

       The wakeful Anther in his silken bed

       O'er the pleased Stigma bows his waxen head;

       With meeting lips and mingling smiles they sup

       Ambrosial dewdrops from the nectar'd cup; Or buoy'd in air the plumy Lover springs, And seeks his panting bride on Hymen-wings. 270

       "The Stamen males, with appetencies just, Produce a formative prolific dust; With apt propensities, the Styles recluse Secrete a formative prolific juice; These in the pericarp erewhile arrive, Rush to each other, and embrace alive. —Form'd by new powers progressive parts succeed, Join in one whole, and swell into a seed.

      "So in fond swarms the living Anthers shine

       Of bright Vallisner on the wavy Rhine; 280 Break from their stems, and on the liquid glass Surround the admiring stigmas as they pass; The love-sick Beauties lift their essenced brows, Sigh to the Cyprian queen their secret vows, Like watchful Hero feel their soft alarms, And clasp their floating lovers in their arms.

      "Hence the male Ants their gauzy wings unfold,

       And young Lampyris waves his plumes of gold; The Glow-Worm sparkles with impassion'd light On each green bank, and charms the eye of night; 290 While new desires the painted Snail perplex, And twofold love unites the double sex.

       "Hence, when the Morus in Italia's lands

       To spring's warm beam its timid leaf expands;

       The Silk-Worm broods in countless tribes above

       Crop the green treasure, uninform'd of love;

       Erewhile the changeful worm with circling head

       Weaves the nice curtains of his silken bed;

       Web within web involves his larva form,

       Alike secured from sunshine and from storm; 300

       For twelve long days He dreams of blossom'd groves,

       Untasted honey, and ideal loves; Wakes from his trance, alarm'd with young Desire, Finds his new sex, and feels ecstatic fire; From flower to flower with honey'd lip he springs, And seeks his velvet loves on silver wings.

      VI. "The Demon, Jealousy, with Gorgon frown

       Blasts the sweet flowers of Pleasure not his own,

       Rolls his wild eyes, and through the shuddering grove

       Pursues the steps of unsuspecting Love; 310

       Or drives o'er rattling plains his iron car,

       Flings his red torch, and lights the flames of war.

      Here Cocks heroic burn with rival rage,

       And Quails with Quails in doubtful fight engage;

       Of armed heels and bristling plumage proud,

       They sound the insulting clarion shrill and loud,

       With rustling pinions meet, and swelling chests,

       And seize with closing beaks their bleeding crests;

       Rise on quick wing above the struggling foe,

       And aim in air the death-devoting blow. 320

       There the hoarse stag his croaking rival scorns, And butts and parries with his branching horns; Contending Boars with tusk enamell'd strike, And guard with shoulder-shield the blow oblique; While female bands attend in mute surprise, And view the victor with admiring eyes.—

      "So Knight on Knight, recorded in romance,

       Urged the proud steed, and couch'd the extended lance;

       He, whose dread prowess with resistless force,

       O'erthrew the opposing warrior and his horse, 330

       Bless'd, as the golden guerdon of his toils,

       Bow'd to the Beauty, and receiv'd her smiles.

      "So when fair Helen with ill-fated charms,

       By Paris wooed, provoked the world to arms,

       Left her vindictive Lord to sigh in vain

       For broken vows, lost love, and cold disdain;

       Fired at his wrongs, associate to destroy

       The realms unjust of proud adulterous Troy,

       Unnumber'd Heroes braved the dubious fight,

      

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