ROCK-POOLS. 187 



basins hollowed in the living rock, and stocked with 

 elegant plants and animals, having all the charm of 

 novelty to his eye, — they should have moved his 

 poetic fancy, and found more than one place in the 

 gorgeous imagery of his oriental romances. Just 

 listen to him. 



It was a garden still beyond all price. 

 Even yet it was a place of Paradise ; 

 ******* 



And here were coral-bowers, 

 And grots of madrepores, 

 And banks of sponge, as soft and fair to eye 

 As e'er was mossy bed 

 Whereon the wood-nymphs lie 

 With languid limbs in summer's sultry hours. 

 Here too were living flowers. 

 Which like a bud compacted, 

 Their purple cups contracted, 

 And now, in open blossom spread, 

 Stretch'd like green anthers many a seeking head. 



And arborets of jointed stone were there, 

 And plants of fibres fine as silkworm's thread ; 

 Yea, beautiful as mermaid's golden hair 



Upon the waves dispread. 

 Others that, like the broad banana growing, 

 Rais'd their long wrinkled leaves of purple hue. 

 Like streamers wide outflowing. 



(kehama, XVI. 5.) 



A hundred times might you fancy you saw the 

 type, the very original of this description, tracing 

 line by line, and image by image, the details of the 

 picture; and acknowledging, as you proceed, the 

 minute truthfulness with which it has been drawn. 

 For such is the loveliness of nature in these secluded 

 reservoirs, that the accomplished poet, when depicting 

 the gorgeous scenes of eastern mythology, scenes the 



