68 ORIGIN OF SOCIETY. CANTO n. 



' Shed their sweet smiles in Earth's unsocial bowers, 

 1 Fan with soft gales, and gild with brighter hours; 

 ' Fill Pleasure's chalice unalloy'd with pain, 

 * And give SOCIETY his golden chain.' 250 



.. 



Now young DESIRES, on purple pinions borne, 

 Mount the warm gales of Manhood's rising morn; 

 With softer fires through virgin bosoms dart, 



, 



Flush the pale cheek, and goad the tender heart. 



Ere the weak powers of transient Life decay, 



And Heaven's ethereal image melts away; 



LOVE with nice touch renews the organic frame, 



Forms a young Ens, another and the same; 



Gives from his rosy lips the vital breath, 



And parries with his hand the shafts of death; 260 



While BEAUTY broods with angel wings unfurl'd 



O'er nascent life, and saves the sinking world. 



While Beauty broods, 1. 26 1. 



Alma Venus! per te quoniam genus omne animanfcum 

 Concipitur, visitque exortum lumina coeli. LUCRET. 



