The sugar-cane: a poem in four books with notes / [James Grainger].

  • James Grainger
Date:
1766
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The sugar-cane: a poem in four books with notes / [James Grainger]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    73/200 page 59
    Book Il. THE SUGAR-CANE., 59 Not the blefs’d apple Median climes produce, Though lofty Maro (whofe immortal mufe Diftant I follow, and, fubmifs, adore) Hath fung its properties, to countera& ‘Dire fpells, flow-mutter’d o’er the baneful bow}, Where cruel ftepdames poifonous drugs have brew’d; atiat 136 Can vie with thefe low tenants of the vale, In driving poifons from the infe&ed frame: _ For here, alas! (ye fons of luxury, mark !) The fea, tho’ on its bofom Halcyons fleep, © 140 Abounds with poifon’d fifth; whofe crimfon fins, Whofe leyes, whofe {cales, bedropt with azure, gold. . . Purple, and green, in all gay Summer’s pride, Amufe thé fight; whofe tafte the palate charms ; ~Yet'death, in ambufh, on the banquet waits, 145 Unlefs thefe antidotes be timely given. ‘But, fay what ftrains, what numbers can recite, Thy praifes, vervain ; or wild liquorice, thine P © For not the coftly root, the gift of God, If, therefore, the King of Pontus had really intended to have deftroyed himfelf, he could have been at no lofs for the means, notwith{tanding the daily ufe of this antidote. £ “Ver. 131. Not the blefs'd apple] Authors are not agreed what the apple is, to which Virgil attributes fuch remarkable virtues, Nor is it indeed poflible they ever thould. However, we have this comfore on our fide, that our not knowing it is of no detriment to us; for as fpells cannot effeét us, we are at no lofs ‘for antidotes to guard againft them. ae eee “ - ‘ ; : ; * Ver. 149. For not the coftly root,] Some. medical writers thave ‘beftowed the high appellation of Donum Dei on rhubarb, Wine d ‘ i Gather’d
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