Objects that strike terror in a spectator, have in poetry and painting a fine effect. The picture, by raifing a flight emotion of terror, agitates the mind; and in that condition every beauty makes a deep impreffion. May not contrast heighten the pleasure, by oppofing our prefent fecurity to the danger we would be in by encountering the object represented?
If shape it might be call'd, that shape had none Distinguishable in member, joint, or limb; Or fubftance might be call'd that shadow seem'd, For each feem'd either; black it stood as night, Fierce as ten furies, terrible as hell,
And shook a dreadful dart.
Paradife Loft, book 2. 1. 666.
Now ftorming fury rofe,
And clamour fuch as heard in heaven till now Was never, arms on armour clashing bray'd Horrible difcord, and the madding wheels Of brazen chariots rag'd; dire was the noise Of conflict; over-head the dismal hifs Of fiery darts in flaming vollies flew, And flying vaulted either host with fire. So under fiery cope together rufh'd Both battles main, with ruinous affault And inextinguishable rage; all heav'n
Refounded, and had earth been then, all earth Had to her centre shook.
Paradife Loft, book 6. 1. 207.
To tell the fecrets of my prifon-house,
I could a tale unfold, whofe lightest word
Would harrow up thy foul, freeze thy young blood, Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres, Thy knotty and combined locks to part,
And each particular hair to stand on end, Like quills upon the fretful porcupine: But this eternal blazon must not be
To ears of flesh and blood.
Gratiano. Poor Defdemona! I'm glad thy father's
Thy match was mortal to him;
Shore his old thread in twain. Did he live now,
This fight would make him do a desp’rate turn : Yea, curfe his better angel from his fide, And fall to reprobation.
Objects of horror must be excepted from the foregoing theory; for no defcription, however lively, is fufficient to overbalance the disgust raifed even by the idea of fuch an object. Every thing horrible ought therefore to be avoided in a description. Nor is this a fevere law: the poet will avoid fuch scenes for his own fake, as well as for that of his reader; and to vary his defcriptions, nature affords plenty of objects that dif guft us in fome degree without raifing horror. I am obliged therefore to condemn the picture of Sin in the fecond book of Paradife Loft, though drawn with a masterly hand: the original would be a horrid fpectacle; and the horror is not much foftened in the copy:
Alone, but long I fat not, till my womb Pregnant by thee, and now exceffive grown Prodigious motion felt and rueful throes. At laft this odious offspring whom thou feeft, Thine own begotten, breaking violent way, Tore through my intrails, that with fear and pain Distorted, all my nether fhape thus grew Transform'd; but he my inbred enemy Forth iffu'd, brandifhing his fatal dart, Made to destroy: I fled, and cry'd out Death; Hell trembl'd at the hideous name, and figh'd From all her caves, and back refounded Death. I fled, but he purfu'd, (though more, it seems, Inflam'd with luft than rage), and swifter far, Me overtook, his mother all difmay'd, And in embraces forcible and foul Ingendring with me, of that rape begot Thefe yelling monsters that with ceaseless cry Surround me, as thou faw'ft, hourly conceiv'd And hourly born, with forrow infinite
To me; for when they lift, into the womb That bred them they return, and howl and gnaw My bowels, their repaft; then bursting forth, Afresh with confcious terrors vex me round,
That rest or intermiffion none I find.
Before mine eyes in oppofition fits
Grim Death, my fon and foe, who sets them on, And me his parent would full foon devour For want of other prey, but that he knows His end with mine involv'd; and knows that I Should prove a bitter morfel, and his bane, Whenever that shall be,
Iago's character in the tragedy of Othello, is fo monstrous and fatanical, as not to be fufferable in a reprefentation: not even Shakespear's masterly hand can make the picture agreeable.
Though the objects introduced in the following fcenes, are not altogether fo horrible as Sin is in Milton's picture; yet with every perfon of delicacy, difguft will be the prevailing emotion:
Strophades Graio ftant nomine dicte
Infulæ Ionio in magno: quas dira Celano, Harpyiæque colunt aliæ: Phineia poftquam Claufa domus, menfafque metu liquere priores. Triftius haud illis monftrum, nec fævior ulla Peftis et ira Deûm Stygiis fefe extulit undis. Virginei volucrum vultus, fœdiffima ventris Poluvies, uncæque manus, et pallida femper Ora fame.
Huc ubi delati portus intravimus: ecce
Læta boum paffim campis armenta videmus, Caprigenumque pecus, nullo cuftode, per herbas. Irruimus ferro, et Divos ipfumque vocamus In prædam partemque Jovem : tunc littore curvo Extruimufque toros, dapibufque epulamur opimis. At fubitæ horrifico lapfu de montibus adfunt Harpyiæ: et magnis quatiunt clangoribus alas: Diripiuntque dapes, contactuque omnia fœdant Immundo: tum vox tetrum dira inter odorem.
Sum patria ex Ithaca, comes infelicis Ulyffei, Nomen Achemenides: Trojam, genitore Adamafto Paupere (manfiffetque utinam fortuna!) profectus.
Hic me, dum trepidi crudelia limina linquunt, Immemores focii vafto Cyclopis in antro Deferuere. Domus fanie dapibufque cruentis, Intus opaca, ingens: ipfe arduus, altaque pulsat Sidera: (Dii, talem terris avertite pestem) Nec vifu facilis, nec dictu affabilis ulli,
Vifceribus miferorum, et fanguine vefcitur atro. Vidi egomet, duo de numero cum corpora noftre, Prenfa manu magna, medio refupinus in antro, Frangeret ad faxum, fanieque afperfa natarent Limina vidi, atro cum membra fluentia tabo Manderet, et tepidi tremerent fub dentibus artus. Haud impune quidem : nec talia paffus Ulyffes, Oblitufve fui eft Ithacus difcrimine tanto.
Nam fimul expletus dapibus, vinoque fepultus Cervicem inflexam pofuit, jacuitque per antrum Immenfus, faniem eructans, ac frufta cruento Per fomnum commixta mero; nos, magna precati Numina, fortitique vices, unà undique circum Fundimur, et telo lumen terebramus acuto Ingens, qued torva folum fub fronte latebat.
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