236 MEMOIRS OP 



odd nuptials of pure Air and inflammable 

 Gas. We had heard of their courtihip 

 earlier in the poem. That courtfhip, and 

 this their marriage, forms one of the wild- 

 eft extravagances of the work ; but the 

 Homeric fable, which illuftrates the airy 

 bride and groom, is charming in the firft 

 degree. Juno, attired by Venus, to cap- 

 tivate Jove. With the moft luxuriant 

 fancy, and with new circumftances, this 

 little drama rifes again on the Darwinian 

 page. It will not lofe, but gain in a juft 

 eftimation of poetic merit, by comparifon 

 with the tranilations, by Cowper and Pope, 

 of this celebrated part of the Greek Poet's 

 machinery. Let them be compared, and 

 firft Cowper's literal tranilation, firft edition. 



Firft, (he lav'd all o'er 



Her beauteous body with ambrofial lymph; 

 Then polifh'd it with richeft oil divine, 

 Of boundlefs fragrance. Oil, that in the courts 

 Eternal only fhaken through the ikies 



Breath'4 



