I think my idea of hell would be shut up in heaven with a God who issued those sort of threats.

Your insights into the Balm of Gilead reference would be welcome. If you have insights.....I could have found the references myself. The context and the implications thereof; they are what interest me.

In particular if anyone has any insight into why Poe chose those words are of interest to me. Maybe he just chose them, because they had a mellifluous and slightly sinister feel - in the same way that Swinburne did.

like I say, thanks in advance for any help.