B. iii. c. vii. f. xvi. Of the witches fon, who falls in love with Florimel. Oft from the forreft wildings he did bring, Girlands of flowres fometimes for her faire head He fine would dight; fometimes the squirrel wild Such prefents as thefe are made by Coridon to Paftorell. And oft when Coridon unto her brought, Or wanton squirrels in the woods farre fought. With ftoney eyes, and hartleffe hollow hewe, Aftonisht ftood, as one that had espide Spenfer often expreffes fear, or furprize, in this manner. With hellish fiends, or furies mad uprore. As one affright 2.5. 37. The The ftoney feare Oft out of her bed she did astart, 2. 8. 46. As one with view of gaftly fiends affright. 3. 2. 29. Ne wift he what to thinke, or to devife, But like as one whom fiends have made afraid, Ne ought he did; but with fast-fixed eyes 5. 3. 18. From the paffages already alleged, and from fome others which I shall produce, it will appear, that Spenfer particularly excells in painting affright, confufion, and astonishment. Abeffa's affright at seeing the Lion and Una. Full faft fhe fled, ne ever lookt behind, And home the came, where as her mother blind I. 3. 12. The The behaviour of Abeffa and Corecca, when Kirkrapine was torn in pieces by the Lion. His fearful friends weare out the wofull night, The heavy hap, which on them is alight, I. 3. 20. DESPAIRE has juft perfuaded the red-croffe knight to kill himself. 1. 9. 48. The knight was much enmoved with his fpeach, xlix. In which amazement, when the miscreant Whiles trembling horror did his confcience dart, He fhew'd him painted in a table plaine The The damned ghosts that do in torments waile, And thousand fiends that do them endlesse paine With fire and brimftone, which for ever fhall remaine. 1. The fight whereof so throughly him dismaid, And brought unto him fwords, ropes poyson, fire, And bade him chufe what death he would defire, For death was due to him, that had provokt gods ire. li. But when as none of them he saw him take, At laft, refolv'd to work his final smart He lifted up his hand, that back againe did start. Experience proves, that we paint beft, what we have felt moft. Spenfer's whole life feems to have confifted confifted of disappointments and distress. These miseries, the warmth of his imagination, and, what was its confequence, his fenfibility of temper, contributed to render doubly severe. Unmerited and unpitied indigence ever ftruggles hardest with true genius; and a refined taste, for the fame reasons that it enhances the pleasures of life, adds uncommon torture to the anxieties of that state, " in which, fays an incomparable moralift, "Every virtue is obfcured, and in which no "conduct can avoid reproach; a state in which chear fulness is infenfibility, and dejection fullennefs; of "which the hardships are without honour, and the "labours without reward." To these may be added his perfonage FEAR. Next him was FEAR all arm'd from top to toe, 'Gainst whom he alwaies bent a brazen shield, Which his right hand unarmed fearfully did wield. 3. 12. 17. Again, When |