Падение дома Ашеров

           Bytheuttersimplicity,bythenakednessofhisdesigns,hearrestedandoverawedattention. Ifevermortalpaintedanidea,thatmortalwasRoderickUsher. Formeatleast,inthecircumstancesthensurroundingme,therearoseoutofthepureabstractionswhichthehypochondriaccontrivedtothrowuponhiscanvas,anintensityofintolerableawe,noshadowofwhichfeltIeveryetinthecontemplationofthecertainlyglowingyettooconcretereveriesofFuseli. 

           Oneofthephantasmagoricconceptionsofmyfriend,partakingnotsorigidlyofthespiritofabstraction,maybeshadowedforth,althoughfeebly,inwords. Asmallpicturepresentedtheinteriorofanimmenselylongandrectangularvaultortunnel,withlowwalls,smooth,white,andwithoutinterruptionordevice. Certainaccessorypointsofthedesignservedwelltoconveytheideathatthisexcavationlayatanexceedingdepthbelowthesurfaceoftheearth. Nooutletwasobservedinanyportionofitsvastextent,andnotorchorotherartificialsourceoflightwasdiscernible;yetafloodofintenseraysrolledthroughout,andbathedthewholeinaghastlyandinappropriatesplendor. 

           Ihavejustspokenofthatmorbidconditionoftheauditorynervewhichrenderedallmusicintolerabletothesufferer,withtheexceptionofcertaineffectsofstringedinstruments. Itwas,perhaps,thenarrowlimitstowhichhethusconfinedhimselfupontheguitarwhichgavebirth,ingreatmeasure,tothefantasticcharacteroftheperformances. Butthefervidfacilityofhisimpromptuscouldnotbesoaccountedfor.