Drinks the pure fragrance of her breath, and sips 

 With tenderest*touch the roses of her lips; 

 Invites her to partake his throne, his bed, 

 And binds the gemm'd Tiara round her head; — 

 And now, on fire, th' impatient Brahma press'd 

 The blooming Goddess to his fervent breast, 

 The conscious Fair betrays her soft alarms. 

 Sinks with warm blush into his clasping arms. 

 Yields to his fond caress with wanton play, 

 And sweet, reluctant, amorous delay. 



Darwin. 



The Blue Lotos, by affording to the inhabitants of Egypt,* from its root, and seed-vessel, 

 a nutritious food, was properly considered by them as an Emblem of Celestial Love. 



Where Nile's proud waves roll slowly to the main. 



Thro' the fam'd land that knows no falling shower. 

 In modest charms above the wat'ry plain 



All bright emerges the mysterious flower. 



And while her guardian sire -^ with soft supplies 



Feeds the glad earth, and wakes her green -rob'd brood, 



She meets the tincture of the answering skies. 

 And spreads cerulean lustre o'er the flood. 



Touch'd by the floating sapphire's starry vest. 



The hoary Sage to raise devotion strove; 

 And bade the beauteous blossom stand confess'd 



The sacred symbol of celestial love. 



Hence, to the dim recesses of the fane 



He bears the gather'd sweets each rising morn : 

 From Is is' neck descends the flowery chain. 



And flowery wreaths Osiris' brows adorn. 



^ Benignant pair! to mortals still be good: 



Still let old Nil us feel your guiding power! 

 O'er our parch'd plains extend his fattening flood. 



And bear upon his breast your sacred flower! 



' And while with pious care our trembling hand 



To Heaven's high praise this holy rite ordains, 

 Accept these tributes of a grateful land, 



And bless with fav'ring smiles th' Egyptian plains.' 



Shaw* 



* The Lotos was equally sacred in Egypt as in India. Vide notes to the history of the Nelumbium. 



+ The Lotos is to this day called Arais del Nil, Daughters of the Nile, and Nile is derived from Nila, hlue; and 7ro7a/*of, potamos, 

 the Greek word for any large river, used also for the Nile, is derived from the Sanscrit word Pa dm a, the name for the Blue Lotos. 



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