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Show [ q .6 ] On noifelefs fl:ep or quivering pinion glide, As fits the Sage with Science by his fide ; To his charn1'd eye in gay undrefs appear, Or pour your fecrets on his raptured ear. How nitrous Gas fro1n iron ingots driven Drinks with red lips the purefi breath of heaven; How, while Conferva fron1 its tender hair Gives in bright bubbles e1npyrean air, The cryfial Roods phlogifiic ores calcine, And the pure ETHER 1narries with the MrNE. " So in Sicilia's ever-bloo1ning {hade When playful PRosERPINE from CERES firay' d, 175 ~inium; the ore of m:wganefe, which is always f<>und near the fur face of the earth, ts re plete with pure air, which is now ufcd for the purpofe of bleaching. Other metals when expo[ed to the atmofphere attraCt the pure air from it, and become calces by its combination, as zinc, lead, iron; and increafe in wei aht in proportion to the air which they imi.J .be. b ' When playful P~ojerpine. l. q8. The fable of Prolerpinc's being feized by Pluto as fhe ':as gathenng flowers, is explained by Lord Bacon to lignify the combination or .marnage of ethereal fp irit with earthly materials. R tcon's Works, Vol. V. P· 470. t:~lt. 4to. Lond. 1?78 .. Thi ~ ~tl lu!ion is !lill more curi oufly exact , from the late d.tfcovery of pure atr bewg given up from vegetables, and that then in its unmixed [ 177 1 Led with unwary ftep her virgin trains O'er Etna's fteeps, and Enna's golden plains; 180 Pluck'd with fair hand the filver-bloffom'd bower, And purpled mead,-herfelf a fairer Rower ; Sudden, unfeen amid the twilight glade, Rulli' d gloo1ny Drs, and feized the trembling maid.- Her fiarting damfels fprung from 1noffy feats, I 8 5 Dropp'd from their gauzy laps the gather'd fweets, Clung round the firuggling N ytnph, with piercing cries, Purfued the chariot, and invoked the :lk.ies ;- Pleafed as he graf ps her in his iron arms, Frights with foft fighs, with tender words alarms, 190 'I'he wheels defcending roll' d in fmoky rings, Infernal Cupids flapp' d their demon wings ; Earth with deep yawn received the Fair, amaz'd, And far in Night celefiial Beauty blaz' d. fbte it more readily combines with metallic or inflammable bodies. From thcfe fables, which were probably taken from antient hieroglyphics, there is frequently reafon to believe that the Egyptians polfelfed much chemical knowledge, which for want of al· phabctical writing perifhed with their philofophers. PART I. A a- |