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character and the soul； the greater is the capacity of love； and
the deeper its fervor。 It is not the object of love which creates
this fervor； but the mind which is capable of investing it with
glories。 There could not have been such intensity in Dante's love
had he not been gifted with the power of creating so lofty and
beautiful an ideal； and it was this he worshipped；not the real
Beatrice； but the angelic beauty he thought he saw in her。 Why
could he not see the perfections he adored shining in other women；
who perhaps had a higher claim to them？ Ah； that is the mystery！
And you cannot solve it any easier than you can tell why a flower
blooms or a seed germinates。 And why was it that Dante； with his
great experience； could in later life see the qualities he adored
in no other woman than in the cold and unappreciative girl who
avoided him？ Suppose she had become his wife； might he not have
been disenchanted； and his veneration been succeeded by a bitter
disappointment？ Yet； while the delusion lasted； no other woman
could have filled her place； in no other woman could he have seen
such charms； no other love could have inspired his soul to make
such labors。
I would not be understood as declaring that married love must be
necessarily a disenchantment。 I would not thus libel humanity； and
insult plain reason and experience。 Many loves ARE happy； and burn
brighter and brighter to the end； but it is because there are many
who are worthy of them； both men and women；because the ideal；
which the mind created； IS realized to a greater or less degree；
although the loftier the archetype； the less seldom is it found。
Nor is it necessary that perfection should be found。 A person may
have faults which alienate and disenchant； but with these there may
be virtues so radiant that the worship； though imperfect； remains；
a respect； on the whole； so great that the soul is lifted to
admiration。 Who can love this perishable form； unless one sees in
it some traits which belong to superior and immortal natures？ And
hence the sentiment； when pure； creates a sort of companionship of
beings robed in celestial light and exorcises those degrading
passions which belong to earth。 But Dante saw no imperfections in
Beatrice： perhaps he had no opportunity to see them。 His own soul
was so filled with love； his mind soared to such exalted regions of
adoration； that when she passed away he saw her only in the
beatified state； in company with saints and angels； and he was
wrapped in ecstasies which knew no end；the unbroken adoration of
beauty； grace； and truth； even of those eternal ideas on which
Plato based all that is certain； and all that is worth living for；
that sublime realism without which life is a failure； and this
world is 〃a mockery； a delusion； and a snare。〃
This is the history and exposition of that love for Beatrice with
which the whole spiritual life of Dante is identified； and without
which the 〃Divine Comedy〃 might not have been written。 I may have
given to it disproportionate attention； and it is true I might have
allegorized it； and for love of a woman I might have substituted
love for an art；even the art of poetry； in which his soul
doubtless lived； even as Michael Angelo； his greatest fellow…
countryman； lived in the adoration of beauty； grace； and majesty。
Oh； happy and favored is the person who lives in the enjoyment of
an art！ It may be humble； it may be grand。 It may be music； it
may be painting； or sculpture； or architecture； or poetry； or
oratory； or landscape gardening； yea； even farming； or needle…work；
or house decoration；anything which employs the higher faculties
of the mind； and brings order out of confusion； and takes one from
himself； from the drudgery of mechanical labors； even if it be no
higher than carving a mantelpiece or making a savory dish； for all
these things imply creation； alike the test and the reward of
genius itself； which almost every human being possesses； in some
form or other； to a greater or less degree；one of the kindest
gifts of Deity to man。
The great artist； kindled by his visions of imperishable loveliness
in the person of his departed Beatrice； now resolves to dedicate to
her honor his great life…labor；even his immortal poem； which
should be a transcript of his thoughts； a mirror of his life； a
record of his sorrows； a painting of his experiences； a description
of what he saw； a digest of his great meditations； a thesaurus of
the treasures of the Mediaeval age； an exposition of its great and
leading ideas in philosophy and in religion。 Every great man
wishes to leave behind some monument of his labors； to bless or
instruct mankind。 Any man without some form of this noble ambition
lives in vain； even if his monument be no more than a cultivated
farm rescued from wildness and sterility。
Now Dante's monument is 〃the marvellous； mystic； unfathomable
song；〃 in which he sang his sorrows and his joys； revealed his
visions； and recorded the passions and sentiments of his age。 It
never can be popular； because it is so difficult to be understood；
and because its leading ideas are not in harmony with those which
are now received。 I doubt if anybody can delight in that poem；
unless he sympathizes with the ideas of the Middle Ages； or； at
least； unless he is familiar with them； and with the historical
characters who lived in those turbulent and gloomy times。 There is
more talk and pretension about that book than any one that I know
of。 Like the 〃Faerie Queene〃 or the 〃Paradise Lost；〃 it is a study
rather than a recreation； one of those productions which an
educated person ought to read in the course of his life； and which
if he can read in the original； and has read； is apt to boast of；
like climbing a lofty mountain； enjoyable to some with youth and
vigor and enthusiasm and love of nature； but a very toilsome thing
to most people； especially if old and short…winded and gouty。
In the year 1309 the first part of the 〃Divine Comedy；〃 the
Inferno； was finished by Dante； at the age of forty…four； in the
tenth year of his pilgrimage； under the roof of the Marquis of
Lunigiana； and it was intrusted to the care of Fra Ilario； a monk
living on the beautiful Ligurian shores。 As everybody knows； it is
a vivid； graphic picture of what was supposed to be the infernal
regions； where great sinners are punished with various torments
forever and ever。 It is interesting for the excellence of the
poetry； the brilliant analyses of characters； the allusion to
historical events； the bitter invectives； the intense sarcasms； and
the serious； earnest spirit which underlies the descriptions。 But
there is very little of gentleness or compassion； in view of the
protracted torments of the sufferers。 We stand aghast in view of
the miseries and monsters； furies and gorgons； snakes and fires；
demons； filth； lakes of pitch； pools of blood； plains of scorching
sands； circles； and chimeras dire；a physical hell of utter and
unspeakable dreariness and despair； awfully and powerfully
described； but still repulsive。 In each of the dismal abodes； far
down in the bowels of the earth； which Dante is supposed to have
visited with Virgil as a guide； in which some infernal deity
presides； all sorts of physical tortures are accumulated； inflicted
on traitors； murderers； robbers；men who have committed great
crimes； unpunished in their lifetime； such men as Cain； Judas；
Ugolino；men consigned to an infamous immortality。 On the great
culprits of history； and of Italy especially； Dante virtually sits
in judgment； and he consigns them equally to various torments which
we shudder to think of。
And here let me say； as a general criticism； that in the Inferno
are brought out in tremendous language the opinions of the Middle
Ages in reference to retribution。 Dante does not rise above them；
with all his genius； he is not emancipated from them。 It is the
rarest thing in this world for any man； however profound his
intellect and bold his spirit； to be emancipated from the great and
leading ideas of his age。 Abraham was； and Moses； and the founder
of Buddhism； and Socrates； and Mohammed； and Luther； but they were
reformers； more or less divinely commissioned； with supernatural
aid in many instances to give them wisdom。 But Homer was not； nor
Euripides； nor the great scholastics of the Middle Ages； nor even
popes。 The venerated doctors and philosophers； prelates； scholars；
nobles； kings； to say nothing of the people； thought as Dante did
in reference to future punishment；that it was physical； awful；
accumulative； infinite； endless； the wrath of avenging deity
displayed in pains and agonies inflicted on the body； like the
tortures of inquisitors； thus appealing to the fears of men； on
which chiefly the power of the clergy was based。 Nor in these
views of endless physical sufferings； as if the body itself were
eternal