DR. DARVV IN. 



the thought of transforming cubes, and 

 cones, and cylinders, and other technical 

 terms of mathematic and mechanic fcience, 

 into nymphs and fwains, enamoured of 

 each other. The verfe of this ironical 

 poem is not only Darwinian, but it is 

 beautifully Darwinian. The very flightly 

 allufive power of feveral of the fimilies in 

 the Botanic Garden, is ridiculed with, in- 

 finite fubtlenefs and wit ; while the little 

 ftories in this hurlefque, fo comic in their 

 fcantinefs of refemblance, are very elegantly 

 told. That brilliant fatire amply refutes 

 Lord Shaftefbury's fyftem, that ridicule is 

 the teft of truth, and that it is impoffible 

 to ridicule with eftecl what is intrinfically 

 excellent. The warmeft admirers of Dr. 

 Darwin's fplendid poem, and of the inge- 

 nious theories and ftated experiments of 

 the notes, muft yet be amufed with fuch 

 grotefque imitation of each ; juft as they 



are 



