6 ORIGIN OF SOCIETY. CAXTO i. 



Four sparkling currents lav'd with wandering tides 



Their velvet avenues, and flowery sides; 



On sun-bright lawns unclad the Graces stray'd, 



And guiltless Cupids haunted every glade; 40 



Till the fair Bride, forbidden shades among, 



Heard unalarm'd the Tempter's serpent-tongue; 



Eyed the sweet fruit, the mandate disobeyed, 



And her fond Lord with sweeter smiles betray'd. 



Conscious awhile with throbbing heart he strove, 



Spread his wide arms, and barter'd life for love ! 



Now rocks on rocks, in savage grandeur roll'd, 



Steep above steep, the blasted plains infold; 



The incumbent crags eternal tempest shrouds, 



And livid light'nings cleave the lambent clouds; 50 



other parts of the habitable earth, as the language of the Chinese is 

 said not to resemble those of this part of the world in any respect. 

 And the inhabitants of the islands of the South-Sea had neither the 

 use of iron tools, nor of the bow, nor of wheels, nor of spinning, nor 

 had learned to coagulate milk, or to boil water, though the domesti- 

 cation of fire seems to have been the first great discovery that dis- 

 tinguished mankind from the bestial inhabitants of the forest. 



