The Temple of Nature; or, the Origin of Society: A Poem, with Philosophical Notes — John Shaqi
The Temple of Nature; or, the Origin of Society: A Poem, with Philosophical NotesDarwin, Erasmus
Philosophy
The Temple of Nature; or, the Origin of Society: A Poem, with Philosophical Notes
Darwin, Erasmus
Cosmology -- Poetry; Life -- Origin -- Poetry
[Footnote: _So still the Diodon_, l. 351. See Additional Note
V.]
[Footnote: _At noontide hours_, l. 363. The rainbows in our
latitude are only seen in the mornings or evenings, when the
sun is not much more than forty-two degrees high. In the more
northern latitudes, where the meridian sun is not more than
forty-two degrees high, they are also visible at noon.]
"So erst, ere rose the science to record
In letter'd syllables the volant word;
Whence chemic arts, disclosed in pictured lines,
Liv'd to mankind by hieroglyphic signs;
And clustering stars, pourtray'd on mimic spheres,
Assumed the forms of lions, bulls, and bears; 370
--So erst, as Egypt's rude designs explain,
Rose young DIONE from the shoreless main;
Type of organic Nature! source of bliss!
Emerging Beauty from the vast abyss!
Sublime on Chaos borne, the Goddess stood,
And smiled enchantment on the troubled flood;
The warring elements to peace restored,
And young Reflection wondered and adored."
[Footnote: _As Egypt's rude design_, l. 371. See Additional
Note VI.]
[Footnote: _Rose young Dione_, l. 372. The hieroglyphic
figure of Venus rising from the sea supported on a shell by
two tritons, as well as that of Hercules armed with a club,
appear to be remains of the most remote antiquity. As the
former is devoid of grace, and of the pictorial art of
design, as one half of the group exactly resembles the other;
and as that of Hercules is armed with a club, which was the
first weapon.
The Venus seems to have represented the beauty of organic
Nature rising from the sea, and afterwards became simply an
emblem of ideal beauty; while the figure of Adonis was
probably designed to represent the more abstracted idea of
life or animation. Some of these hieroglyphic designs seem to
evince the profound investigations in science of the Egyptian
philosophers, and to have outlived all written language; and
still constitute the symbols, by which painters and poets
give form and animation to abstracted ideas, as to those of
strength and beauty in the above instances.]
Now paused the Nymph,--The Muse responsive cries,
Sweet admiration sparkling in her eyes, 380
"Drawn by your pencil, by your hand unfurl'd,
Bright shines the tablet of the dawning world;
Amazed the Sea's prolific depths I view,
And VENUS rising from the waves in YOU!
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