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Show 18 ORIGIN OF SOCIETY. CAN TO I . High plumes, that bending shade her amber hair' Nod, as she steps, their silver leaves in air; Bright chains of pearl, with golden buckles brae' d, Clasp her white neck, and zone her slender waist; 210 Thin folds of silk in soft meanders wind Down her fine form, and undulate behind; The purple border, on the pavement roll'd, Swells in the gale, and spreads its fringe of gold .. " FIRsT, if you can, celestial Guide! disclose Fron1 what fair fountain mortal life arose, Whence the fine nerve to move and feel assign' d, Contractile fibre, and ethereal mind: " How Love and Sympathy the bosom warm, Allure with pleasure, an~ with pain alarm, 220 With soft affections weave the social plan, And charm the listening Savage into Man." CANTO I . PRODUCTION OF LIFE. 19 " G·on THE ·FIRST CAU SE l-in this terrene abode Young Nature lisps, she is the child of Gon. From embryon births her changeful forms improve, Grow, as they live, and strengthen as they move. " Ere T ime began, jfi·om :flaming Chaos hurl'd Rose the bright spheres, which form the circling world; God the first cause, l. 223. A Jove principium, musre! J ovis omnia plena. V IRGI.L. In him we live, and move, and have our bei11g.....-, . S T . p AUL. Young Nature lisps, I. 224. The perpetual production and increase of the strata of limestone from the shells of aquatic animals. and of all those incu.mben~ on them from the recrements of vegeta~ bles and of terrestnal ammals, are now well understood from our improved knowledge of geology; and show, that the solid parts of the globe are gradually enlarging, and consequently that it is youno" as the fluid parts are not yet all converted into solid ones. Add~~ this, that some parts of the earth and its inhabitants appear younger than others; thus the greater height of the mountains of America -seems t~ show that continent to be less ancient than Europe, Asia, m~d Af1~1ca; as. their _summits have been less washed away, and the wild anunals of Amenca, as the tigers and crocodiles, are said to be less perfect in respect to their size and strength; which would show them to be still in a state of infancy, or of progressive improvement. Lastly, the progress of mankind in arts and sciences, which continues slowly to extend, and to increase, seems to evince the youth of hnman society; whilst the unchanging state of the societies of some insects, as of the bee, wasp, and ant, which is usually ascri bed . to instinct, seems to evince the. longer existence, and greater maturity of those societies. The juvenility of the earth shows, that it has had a |