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powers； even if I were an Italian。 It takes a poet to reveal a
poet。 Nor is criticism interesting to ordinary minds； even in the
hands of masters。 I should make critics laugh if I were to attempt
to dissect the Divine Comedy。 Although； in an English dress； it is
known to most people who pretend to be cultivated； yet it is not
more read than the 〃Paradise Lost〃 or the 〃Faerie Queene；〃 being
too deep and learned for some； and understood by nobody without a
tolerable acquaintance with the Middle Ages； which it interprets；
the superstitions； the loves； the hatreds； the ideas of ages which
can never more return。 All I can doall that is safe for me to
attemptis to show the circumstances and conditions in which it
was written； the sentiments which prompted it； its historical
results； its general scope and end； and whatever makes its author
stand out to us as a living man； bearing the sorrows and revelling
in the joys of that high life which gave to him extraordinary moral
wisdom； and made him a prophet and teacher to all generations。 He
was a man of sorrows； of resentments； fierce and implacable； but
whose 〃love was as transcendent as his scorn；〃a man of vast
experiences and intense convictions and superhuman earnestness；
despising the world which he sought to elevate； living isolated in
the midst of society； a wanderer and a sage； meditating constantly
on the grandest themes； lost in ecstatic reveries； familiar with
abstruse theories； versed in all the wisdom of his day and in the
history of the past； a believer in God and immortality； in rewards
and punishments； and perpetually soaring to comprehend the
mysteries of existence； and those ennobling truths which constitute
the joy and the hope of renovated and emancipated and glorified
spirits in the realms of eternal bliss。 All this is history； and
it is history alone which I seek to teach；the outward life of a
great man； with glimpses； if I can； of those visions of beauty and
truth in which his soul lived； and which visions and experiences
constitute his peculiar greatness。 Dante was not so close an
observer of human nature as Shakspeare； nor so great a painter of
human actions as Homer； nor so learned a scholar as Milton； but his
soul was more serious than either；he was deeper； more intense
than they； while in pathos； in earnestness； and in fiery emphasis
he has been surpassed only by Hebrew poets and prophets。
It would seem from his numerous biographies that he was remarkable
from a boy； that he was a youthful prodigy； that he was precocious；
like Cicero and Pascal； that he early made great attainments；
giving utterance to living thoughts and feelings； like Bacon； among
boyish companions； lisping in numbers； like Pope； before he could
write prose； different from all other boys； since no time can be
fixed when he did not think and feel like a person of maturer
years。 Born in Florence； of the noble family of the Alighieri； in
the year 1265； his early education devolved upon his mother； his
father having died while the boy was very young。 His mother's
friend； Brunetto Latini； famous as statesman and scholarly poet；
was of great assistance in directing his tastes and studies。 As a
mere youth he wrote sonnets； such as Sordello the Troubadour would
not disdain to own。 He delights； as a boy； in those inquiries
which gave fame to Bonaventura。 He has an intuitive contempt for
all quacks and pretenders。 At Paris he maintains fourteen
different theses； propounded by learned men； on different subjects；
and gains universal admiration。 He is early selected by his native
city for important offices； which he fills with honor。 In wit he
encounters no superiors。 He scorches courts by sarcasms which he
can not restrain。 He offends the great by a superiority which he
does not attempt to veil。 He affects no humility； for his nature
is doubtless proud； he is even offensively conscious and arrogant。
When Florence is deliberating about the choice of an ambassador to
Rome； he playfully； yet still arrogantly； exclaims： 〃If I remain
behind； who goes？ and if I go； who remains behind？〃 His
countenance； so austere and thoughtful； impresses all beholders
with a sort of inborn greatness； his lip； in Giotto's portrait； is
curled disdainfully； as if he lived among fools or knaves。 He is
given to no youthful excesses； he lives simply and frugally。 He
rarely speaks unless spoken to； he is absorbed apparently in
thought。 Without a commanding physical person； he is a marked man
to everybody； even when he deems himself a stranger。 Women gaze at
him with wonder and admiration； though he disdains their praises
and avoids their flatteries。 Men make way for him as he passes
them； unconsciously。 〃Behold；〃 said a group of ladies； as he
walked slowly by them； 〃there is a man who has visited hell！〃 To
the close of his life he was a great devourer of books； and
digested their contents。 His studies were as various as they were
profound。 He was familiar with the ancient poets and historians
and philosophers； he was still better acquainted with the abstruse
speculations of the schoolmen。 He delighted in universities and
scholastic retreats； from the cares and duties of public life he
would retire to solitary labors； and dignify his retirement by
improving studies。 He did not live in a cell； like Jerome； or a
cave； like Mohammed； but no man was ever more indebted to solitude
and meditation than he for that insight and inspiration which
communion with God and great ideas alone can give。
And yet； though recluse and student； he had great experiences with
life。 He was born among the higher ranks of society。 He inherited
an ample patrimony。 He did not shrink from public affairs。 He was
intensely patriotic； like Michael Angelo； he gave himself up to the
good of his country； like Savonarola。 Florence was small； but it
was important； it was already a capital； and a centre of industry。
He represented its interests in various courts。 He lived with
princes and nobles。 He took an active part in all public matters
and disputations； he was even familiar with the intrigues of
parties； he was a politician as well as scholar。 He entered into
the contests between Popes and Emperors respecting the independence
of Italy。 He was not conversant with art； for the great sculptors
and painters had not then arisen。 The age was still dark； the
mariner's compass had not been invented； chimneys had not been
introduced； the comforts of life were few。 Dames of highest rank
still spent their days over the distaff or in combing flax。 There
were no grand structures but cathedral churches。 Life was
laborious； dismal； and turbulent。 Law and order did not reign in
cities or villages。 The poor were oppressed by nobles。 Commerce
was small and manufactures scarce。 Men lived in dreary houses；
without luxuries； on coarse bread and fruit and vegetables。 The
crusades had not come to an end。 It was the age of quarrelsome
popes and cruel nobles； and lazy monks and haughty bishops； and
ignorant people； steeped in gloomy superstitions； two hundred years
before America was discovered； and two hundred and fifty years
before Michael Angelo erected the dome of St。 Peter's。
But there was faith in the world； and rough virtues； sincerity； and
earnestness of character； though life was dismal。 Men believed in
immortality and in expiation for sin。 The rising universities had
gifted scholars whose abstruse speculations have never been
rivalled for acuteness and severity of logic。 There were bards and
minstrels； and chivalric knights and tournaments and tilts； and
village fetes and hospitable convents and gentle ladies；gentle
and lovely even in all states of civilization； winning by their
graces and inspiring men to deeds of heroism and gallantry。
In one of those domestic revolutions which were so common in Italy
Dante was banished； and his property was confiscated； and he at the
age of thirty…five； about the year 1300； when Giotto was painting
portraits； was sent forth a wanderer and an exile； now poor and
unimportant； to eat the bread of strangers and climb other people's
stairs； and so obnoxious was he to the dominant party in his native
city for his bitter spirit； that he was destined never to return to
his home and friends。 His ancestors； boasting of Roman descent；
belonged to the patriotic party；the Guelphs； who had the
ascendency in his early years；that party which defended the
claims of the Popes against the Emperors of Germany。 But this
party had its divisions and rival families；those that sided with
the old feudal nobles who had once ruled the city； and the new
mercantile families that surpassed them in wealth and popular
favor。 So； expelled by a fraction of his own party that had gained
power； Dante went over to the Ghibellines； and became an adherent
of imperial authority until he died。
It was in his wanderings