2l6 MEMOIRS OF 



pair, is told again. The mechanifm of the 

 net; the ftruggles of the guilty goddefs to 

 efcape; her impatient exhortations to her 

 nymphs, to difunite the links of the iron 

 net- work; her efforts to conceal her beau- 

 ties from the furrounding deities, have all 

 that truth to nature with which criticifm 

 has juftly obferved, Shake/pear draws the 

 manners of his imaginary beings. With 

 much more of that appropriate verity has 

 Darwin told this ftory than Homer, and 

 not more voluptuoufly. This is the only 

 paflage in the Botanic Garden which can 

 juftly be taxed with voluptuoufnefs, and 

 with Homer its author mares the cenfure. 

 Homer, whofe morality has been fo loudly, 

 but fo partially applauded, fince his deities 

 are all either libertine or unjuft ; and of 

 his heroes, only one is in himfelf a virtu- 

 ous man, and he defends the caufe of his 

 guilty brother, and does not once urge the 

 reiteration of the ftolen wife to her in- 

 jured 



