DR. DARWIN. 227 



and forward the parturition of trees, plants, 

 and flowers. For thofe offices a medical 

 fimile occurs, and afterwards a fcripture 

 ftory is told, Peter releafed from prifon by 

 an angel, and to that angel the illuftri- 

 oufly benevolent Howard is compared. 



Imputed affiftance, on the. part of thefc 

 fubterranean nymphs, in the chemical 

 decompofition of animal and vegetable 

 fubftances, introduces the ancient fable of 

 the flaughtered, buried, and affurgent 

 Adonis. His ftory is told with not lefs 

 added poetic excellence than, with accef- 

 fion of perfonal beauty, he is faid to have 

 arifen from the dark manfions of Profer- 

 pine, and to have returned to Venus. Dr. 

 Darwin's reafons, given in the note to this 

 paflage, for rejecting former interpretations 

 of that allegory, are convincing ; and his 

 fubftituted folution is not only highly in- 

 genious, but deeply philofophic ; and good 

 ienfe fanclions the conjecture. 



Q 2, This 



