38 ORIGIN OF SOCIETY. CANTO i. 



Contractile earths in sentient forms arrange, 



And Life triumphant stays their chemic change." 420 



Then hand in hand along the waving glades 

 The virgin Sisters pass beneath the shades; 

 Ascend the winding steps with pausing march, 

 And seek the Portico's susurrant arch; 

 Whose sculptur'd architrave on columns borne 

 Drinks the first blushes of the rising morn, 

 Whose fretted roof an ample shield displays, 

 And guards the Beauties from meridian rays. 

 While on light step enamour'd Zephyr springs, 

 And fans their glowing features with his wings, 430 



% 



Imbibes the fragrance of the vernal flowers, 

 And speeds with kisses sweet the dancing Hours. 



account of the opinions of the magi or priests of that country; show- 

 ing that the simplest animations were spontaneously produced like 

 chemical combinations, but were distinguished from the latter by 

 their perpetual improvement by the power of reproduction, first by 

 solitary, and then by sexual generation; whereas the products of 

 natural chemistry are only enlarged by accretion, or purified by 

 filtration. 



