When from a million herbs a blaze
Of their own luminous glory plays.
This mention of lambent flames emitted by herbs at night may be compared with Lucan's description of a similar phenomenon in the Druidical forest near Marseilles, (Pharsalia, III. 420.).
Non ardentis fulgere incendia silvae.
Seneca, speaking of Argolis, (Thyestes, Act IV), says:--
Tota solet
Micare flamma silva, et excelsae trabes
Ardent sine igni.
Thus also the bush at Horeb (Exod. II.) flamed, but was not consumed.
The Indian explanation of the phenomenon is, that the sun before he sets deposits his rays for the night with the deciduous plants. See Journal of R. As. S. Bengal, Vol. II. p. 339.