2IO MEMOIRS OF 



SECOND CANTO 



Opens with the charge of the Botanic 

 Queen to her Gnomes, who are here re- 

 ftored to that benevolent character allotted 

 to them by Roficrufms, and which, to fuit 

 his purpofe, Pope rendered malignant, in 

 the Rape of the Lock. She addrefles them 

 as miniftrant fpirits to fubterranean vege- 

 tation, and fpectators of all the aftrono- 

 mic and terraqueous wonders of creation ; 

 of the Sun exploding our planet, the Earth, 

 from his crater. 



Except to introduce an extremely fine 

 defcription of the fun's figns in the zodiac, 

 it would be difficult to guefs why the 

 Gnomes fliould be fuppofed to have pur- 

 fued the flying fphere, and encircled the 

 year's flarry girdle. Thoie fliould feem 

 employments better fuited to the allotted 

 nature of the Nymphs of Ignition, or at 

 Icaft of the Sylphs, than of thefe their 



fubter- 



