190 



nection with the sublime ; and when ter- 

 ror can be produced by circumstances of a 

 more elevated character, may even injure 

 it's effect. Death, for instance, is com- 

 monly painted as a skeleton ; but Milton, 

 in his famous description, has made no al- 

 lusion to that deformity (if it may be called 

 so) which is usual in the representation 

 of the king of terrors ; possibly from judg- 

 ing that its distinctness would take off from 

 that mysterious uncertainty, which has 

 rendered his picture so awfully sublime. 



The other shape, 

 If shape it might be called, which shape had none 

 Distinguishable in member, joint, or limb ; 

 Or substance might be called, which shadow seem'd, 

 For each seem'd either; black it stood as night, 

 Fierce as ten furies, terrible as hell, 

 And shook a deadly dart ; what seem'd his head, 

 The likeness of a kingly crown had on. 



The union of deformity with beauty, is, 

 from the contrast, more striking than any 

 other ; but it is in the same proportion dis- 

 gusting : and so far from raising any grand 

 ideas, has rather a tendency to excite those 

 that are ludicrous. Such I think it ap- 



