Портрет художника в юності

           Asthewatersofbaptismcleansethesoulwiththebody,sodothefiresofpunishmenttorturethespiritwiththeflesh.Everysenseofthefleshistorturedandeveryfacultyofthesoultherewith:theeyeswithimpenetrableutterdarkness,thenosewithnoisomeodours,theearswithyellsandhowlsandexecrations,thetastewithfoulmatter,leprouscorruption,namelesssuffocatingfilth,thetouchwithredhotgoadsandspikes,withcrueltonguesofflame.AndthroughtheseveraltormentsofthesensestheimmortalsoulistorturedeternallyinitsveryessenceamidtheleaguesuponleaguesofglowingfireskindledintheabyssbytheoffendedmajestyoftheOmnipotentGodandfannedintoeverlastingandever-increasingfurybythebreathoftheangeroftheGod-head.

           —Considerfinallythatthetormentofthisinfernalprisonisincreasedbythecompanyofthedamnedthemselves.Evilcompanyonearthissonoxiousthattheplants,asifbyinstinct,withdrawfromthecompanyofwhatsoeverisdeadlyorhurtfultothem.Inhellalllawsareoverturned—thereisnothoughtoffamilyorcountry,ofties,ofrelationships.Thedamnedhowlandscreamatoneanother,theirtortureandrageintensifiedbythepresenceofbeingstorturedandraginglikethemselves.Allsenseofhumanityisforgotten.Theyellsofthesufferingsinnersfilltheremotestcornersofthevastabyss.ThemouthsofthedamnedarefullofblasphemiesagainstGodandofhatredfortheirfellowsufferersandofcursesagainstthosesoulswhichweretheiraccomplicesinsin.