This chapter is one of my favorites because it heavily touches upon the early Gothic literature in detailing all of the players who were the first to drain their blood for this genre.  However, what is fascinating is how Lovecraft makes several references to the women authors as being some of the first pioneers of the Gothic literary tradition.  Ann Radcliffe has a rather large starring role.  If you have not read The Mysteries of Uldolpho by Radcliffe, you simply must go out and find it at once.  It is a pure taste of the earliest works of Gothic horror.