DR. DARWIN. 211 



iubterranean fitters. The epithet ardent, 

 " your ardent troops," is a feldom-found 

 inftance of inaccuracy in this poem, cor- 

 rected and polifhed with fuch elaborate 

 care ; eager, active, any thing rather than 

 an adjective metaphorically taken from 

 fire, the affigned element of the nymphs 

 recently difmifled. 



Next rifes the golden age, and Earth is 

 invefted with Edenic privileges and ex- 

 emptions. We are told, in a note, that 

 there is an ancient gem, reprefenting Venus 

 rifing out of the fea, fupported by two 

 Tritons ; that the allegory was originally an 

 hieroglyphic pi&ure, before letters were 

 invented, defcriptive of the formation of 

 the earth from the ocean. The poet takes 

 this opportunity of prefenting to his readers 

 the moft beautiful portrait of Venus, firft 

 emerging from her parent deep, that has 

 been given by any Bard, ancient or modern ; 

 and it's features are unborrowed as they 

 p 2, are 



