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THE CAVE OF DESPAIR.

(SEE PLATE.)

THE readers of our volume will recall the graphic sketch of the first book of the Fairie Queene, by Professor Hart, under the title of the Story of Una. One of the incidents of the beautiful heroine's romantic history, was her visit to the Cave of Despair. The picture of the cave and its melancholy inmates, is one of the most masterly of the whole series, and in many of its features resembles the celestial strength and fire of Bunyan's delineation of a similar scene. The comparison of the two pictures, as well as of the style and force of genius of the two great poetsfor Bunyan was a poet of the highest orderwould form a beautiful and profitable study, which we may on some other occasion attempt. After the full account of the Poem on a preceding page, our plate will be sufficiently illustrated by quoting the particular passage, which our artist has chosen for his pencil :

Then gan the villein him to overcraw;

And brought unto him swords, ropes, poison, fire,
And all that might him to perdition draw;
And bad him choose what death he would desire:
For death was dew to him that had provokt God's ire.

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BELISARIUS.

(SEE PLATE.)

THE preceding engraving is from a picture by the celebrated Gerard, in the Louvre, and is founded upon the ancient tradition of the fate of Belisarius, whose history is of much interest, and has been rendered doubly attractive by the fiction of Marmontel. Belisarius was a general under Justinian I., and distinguished himself by many signal victories. The times in which he lived were troubled by much anarchy: conspiracies and assassinations were but conimon occurrences. He is described as having been very brave, commanding in person, and inflexible in purpose. His successes in arms excited against him the envy of other chiefs by whom his assassination was once attempted. Even Justinian himself became jeal

ous of his fame. In 503, a conspiracy against the emperor was discovered, which Belisarius was falsely accused of participating in. Of his ultimate fate there are various accounts. Gibbon states that his life was spared, but that his wealth was confiscated, and he was placed in confinement. A tradition prevails that his eyes were put out, and that he traveled as a blind beggar, guided by a boy, and exclaiming, "Give a penny to Belisarius the general !" The artist has evidently worked upon some such tradition, and it would seem that the boy has set his foot upon a reptile which has stung him, and the blind Belisarius is now compelled to bear his helpless guide.

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