SPHINX. 221 



Till satiate grown of all that life supplies, 



Self-taught the voluntary martyr dies. 



Deep under earth his darkling course he bends, 



And to the tomb, a willing guest, descends. 



There, long secluded in his lonely cell, 



Forgets the sun, and bids the world farewel. 



O'er the wide waste the wintry tempests reign, 



And driving snows usurp the frozen plain. 



In vain the tempest beats, the whirlwind blows j 



No storms can violate his grave's repose. 



But when revolving months have won their way, 



"When smile the woods, and when the zephyrs play, 



When laughs the vivid world in summer's bloom, 



He bursts and flies triumphant from the tomb, 



And, while his new-born beauties he displays, 



With conscious joy his alter'd form surveys. 



Mark, while he moves amid the sunny beam, 



O'er his soft wings the varying lustre gleam. 



Launch'd into air, on purple plumes he soars, 



Gay Nature's face with wanton glance explores; 



Proud of his various beauties wings his way, 



And spoils the fairest flowers, himself more fair than they! 



And deems weak Man the future promise vain, 



When worms can die, and glorious rise again ? G. S. 



I must not conclude the survey of the genus 

 Sphinx without observing that it contains some 

 species of a smaller size and of a somewhat differ- 

 ent habit from the kinds above described. Among 

 these is the beautiful Sphinx FiWpendulce or Drop- 

 wort Sphinx, common in meadows towards the 

 decline of summer, and which is distinguished by 

 having the upper wings of an oblong-oval shape 

 and of a dark shining green colour, with blood- 

 red spots, and the lower wings red with a dark 

 green edging: the caterpillar is of a pale yellow, 



