which is more properly the dramatic; but he has all the pathos of sentiment and romance—­all that belongs to distant objects of terror, and uncertain, imaginary distress.  His strength, in like manner, is not strength of will or action, of bone and muscle, nor is it coarse and palpable—­but it assumes a character of vastness and sublimity seen through the same visionary medium, and blended with the appalling associations of preternatural agency.  We need only turn, in proof of this, to the Cave of Despair, or the Cave of Mammon, or to the account of the change of Malbecco into Jealousy.  The following stanzas, in the description of the Cave of Mammon, the grisly house of Plutus, are unrivalled for the portentous massiness of the forms, the splendid chiaro-scuro, and shadowy horror.

      “That house’s form within was rude and strong,
        Like an huge cave hewn out of rocky clift,
      From whose rough vault the ragged breaches hung,
        Embossed with massy gold of glorious gift,
      And with rich metal loaded every rift,
        That heavy ruin they did seem to threat: 
      And over them Arachne high did lift
        Her cunning web, and spread her subtle net,
    Enwrapped in foul smoke, and clouds more black than jet.

      Both roof and floor, and walls were all of gold,
        But overgrown with dust and old decay, [4]
      And hid in darkness that none could behold
        The hue thereof:  for view of cheerful day
      Did never in that house itself display,
        But a faint shadow of uncertain light;
      Such as a lamp whose life doth fade away;
        Or as the moon clothed with cloudy night
    Does shew to him that walks in fear and sad affright.

* * * * * * *

      And over all sad Horror with grim hue
        Did always soar, beating his iron wings;
      And after him owls and night-ravens flew,
        The hateful messengers of heavy things,
      Of death and dolour telling sad tidings;
        Whiles sad Celleno, sitting on a clift,
      A song of bitter bale and sorrow sings,
        That heart of flint asunder could have rift;
    Which having ended, after him she flieth swift.”

___
[4]    “That all with one consent praise new-born gauds,
Tho’ they are made and moulded of things past,
And give to Dust, that is a little gilt,
More laud than gold o’er-dusted.”
Troilus and Cressida.
___

The Cave of Despair is described with equal gloominess and power of fancy; and the fine moral declamation of the owner of it, on the evils of life, almost makes one in love with death.  In the story of Malbecco, who is haunted by jealousy, and in vain strives to run away from his own thoughts—­

“High over hill and over dale he flies”—­