Gtological Poems^ 277 



A POETICAL GEOGNOSY. 



J 



When Nature was young, and Earth in her prinie^ 



All the Rocks were invited with Neptune to dine. 



On his green bed of state he was gracefully seated, 



And each as they enter'd was civilly greeted. 



But in choosing their seats, some confusion arose, 5 



Much jostling and scramblin<^, and treadinG; on toes : 



i ili With some dislocation'^, and many icry faces y 



They at length became qniet, and kept their own places. 



Reveal, heavenly Muse, for I know thou art able, 



How e^ch truest in succession was ranged at the table; * 10 



HI ii^ 



ow hie dinner was served, and the name of each dish, 



Whether Nautilite, Ammonite, tortoise, or fish- 

 First Granite' sat down, and then beckon'd his queen, 

 But Gneiss^ stepp'd in rudely, and elbow'd between, 

 Pushintj Mica-slate^ further; when she with a frown 

 Cried, '• You crusty, distorted, and huinp-back'd old clown !" 16 

 But this was all sham, — for to tell you the truth, 

 They had been the most intimate friends from her youth. 

 But let scandal cease, Se"e the whole tribe of Slates 

 All eager and ready to rush to their plates ; 20 



Oh heav'ns ! how the family pour in by dozens, 

 Ot brothers, and sisters, and nephews, and cousins^ I 

 The elder-born Limestones ran in between these, — 

 They were very well know^n to be fond of a squeeze. 

 Now, before we proceed with our story, it meet is 25 



That we hint at th' amours of Calcium and Thetis : 

 But the tale shall be short. 'Tis agreed by the sages, 

 Hence sprang all the limestones of different ages : 

 J^he oldest luokM w^hite^; and no wonder she should, 

 ^be had never once dined upon animal food, 30 



1 See Granftogony and Geolo^fcal Cookery. 



2 Gneiss, — This rock is composed of the same minerab as Gi*:^nJte, but 

 It has a ?latr sti'ucture ; its beds are often much distorted, aud iatermlxed 

 ^nh Mica-slate. 



3 Mica -slate. — A shining shistose rock, composed principally of Mica and 

 Quartz. 



4 Among- Slate Rocks wc mar enumerate, as the pr!ncJn'>], Clay-s 

 ^hich Roofing'slate h a variety; TaJn-slate, or Chlonte-^I^te; Horui 

 state; Flinty-slate; Drawiug-slate : Whetstoiie-slate; Porphyrilic-slate ; 



and Alutn-siato. 



5 The oldest Lin?sturp, or White Statuary Marble, contains no remain* 

 natever of marirje or other aufmals. r 



Vol. V No. 2. 36 



-slate, of 

 bleudt*- 



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* 



