DR. DARWIN. 371 



Lomcfnd, expecting her lover to fwim to 

 her from the centre of the water, and 

 exploring, with anxious eyes, every paffing 

 wave. Since a number of aquatic plants 

 had been previouily humanized, it is pro- 

 bable this is indebted for fuch diftin&ion 

 to the inclination of the Poet to retell 

 the celebrated ftory of Hero and Leander, 

 after Ovid. As a fimile it is perfectly 

 comparative to the dcfcribed fituation 

 and folicitude of JEga. Dr. Darwin was 

 confcious of ^is rarely-equalled talent in 

 defcriptive ftory ; of his power to bring 

 objects full and diftincl on the reader's eye, 

 by attitudes, looks, and employments, pe- 

 culiar to their fituation. Ovid fays, Hero 

 hung her lamp in a tower which overlooked 

 the Hellefpont, that her lover, as he fwam 

 acrofs the flood, might Tee to fteer his courfe 

 by it's light. The art of glafs-making, un- 

 known in thofe times, the danger of the 

 lamp being blown out muft have been 

 2 F 2, imminent. 



