Answer:
The first recorded date is in
AD 43
Figurative language is most common in poetry, but poetry does not always explore thought in a concise way, more often it tried to convey a feeling or an impression than treats the subject in detail.
Therefore I would choose a "novel" - it can use figurative language (unlike exploratory essay), but it also deals with ideas and thought is a profound, comprehensive way (but note that some poems will also do that!)
According to Barry Lopez, the fundamental topic of nature writing concerns our lack of connection to a sense of place and the natural world.
