MARRIAGE PROCESSION OF THE THAMES AND MEDWAY. Character, Genial Strength, Grace, and Luxury, Painter, Raphael. First came great Neptune with his three-fork'd mace, That rules the seas and makes them rise or fall; His dewy locks did drop with brine apace, Under his diadem imperial; And by his side his queen, with coronal, And deck'd with pearls which the Indian seas for her prepare. These marched far afore the other crew, For goodly triumph and great jolliment, That made the rocks to roar as they were rent. Or take another part of the procession, with dolphins and seanymphs listening as they went, to ARION. Then was there heard a most celestial sound So went he playing on the watery plain.26 26" So went he," &c. This sweet, placid, and gently progressing line is one of Spenser's happy samples of alliteration. And how emphatic is the information That was Arion, crown'd. SIR GUYON BINDING FUROR. Character, Superhuman Energy, and Rage; Painter, Michael Angelo In his strong arms he stiffly him embrac'd, With hundred iron chains he did him bind, 27"Color'd like copper wire." A felicity suggested perhaps by the rhyme. It has all the look, however, of a copy from some Dainting; perhaps one of Julio Romano's. UNA (OR FAITH IN DISTRESS). Character, Loving and Sorrowful Purity glorified. (May I say, that I think it would take Raphael and Correggio united to paint this, on account of the exquisite chiaro-scuro? Or might not the painter of the Magdalen have it all to himself?) Through that late vision which the enchanter wrought, Through woods and wasteness wide him daily sought, One day nigh weary of the irksome way, It fortuned, out of the thickest wood And with the sight amaz'd, forgot his furious force. Instead thereof he kiss'd her weary feet, "The lion, lord of every beast in field,” Her, that him lov'd, and ever most ador'd As the god of my life? Why hath he me abhorr'd ?"29 66 28" Yet she," &c. Coleridge quotes this stanza as a good instance of what he means "in the following remarks in his Lectures :-" As characteristic of Spenser, I would call your particular attention in the first place to the indescribable sweetness and fluent projections of his verse, very clearly distinguishable from the deeper and more inwoven harmonies of Shakspeare and Milton." Good, however, as the stanza is, and beautiful the second line, it does not appear to me so happy an instance of what Coleridge speaks of as many which he might have selected. The verses marked in the second stanza are one of the most favorite quotations from the Faerie Queene. 29" As the god of my life," &c. Pray let not the reader consent to read this first half of the line in any manner less marked and peremptory. It is a striking instance of the beauty of that "acceleration and retardation of true verse "which Coleridge speaks of. There is to be a hurry on the words as the, and a passionate emphasis and passing stop on the word god; and so of the next three words JUPITER AND MAIA. Character, Young and Innocent but Conscious and Sensuous Beauty, Painter, Correggio. Behold how goodly my fair love does lie In proud humility! Like unto Maia, when as Jove her took NIGHT AND THE WITCH DUESSA, TAKING SANSJOY IN THEIR CHARIOT TO ESCULAPIUS TO BE RESTORED TO LIFE. Character, Dreariness of Scene; Horridness of Aspect and Wicked Beauty, side by side; Painter, Julio Romano. Then to her iron waggon she betakes And with her bears the foul well-favored witch: Unless she chanc'd their stubborn mouths to twitch; So well they sped, that they be come at length And handle softly, till they can be heal'd, And all the while she stood upon the ground, "Each to each unlich." Unlike. |