2l8 MEMOIRS OF 



of the reader, not on the pages of the poet, 

 when the Botanic Garden is considered on 

 the whole, as an immodeft competition. 



From the net of Vulcan, and the lovers 

 it entangles, the Poet leads us to his forge, 

 after the mention of iron, as produced by 

 the decompofition of vegetable bodies. 

 To perceive the ftrength and truth of the 

 Forge-picture, no power of imagination, 

 on the part of the reader, is neceflary ; 

 memory is iufficient. Who has not feen 

 a blackfmith's mop, and heard its din ? 

 Here it blazes and refounds on the page. 

 The formation of magnetic bars enfues. 

 Though the power of the magnet has been 

 known and applied to ufe from very early 

 times, yet the Poet imputes thefe artificial 

 magnets to their laft improver, the per- 

 fonal friend of his youth, Mr. Michel], 

 mentioned early in thefe memoirs. Of 

 Mr. Michell's procefs in this improvement 

 Dr. Darwin has formed another poetic 



defcription, 



