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which chiefly the power of the clergy was based。 Nor in these
views of endless physical sufferings； as if the body itself were
eternal and indestructible； is there the refinement of Milton； who
placed misery in the upbraidings of conscience； in mental torture
rather than bodily； in the everlasting pride and rebellion of the
followers of Satan and his fallen angels。 It was these awful views
of protracted and eternal physical torments；not the hell of the
Bible； but the hell of ingenious human invention；which gives to
the Middle Ages a sorrowful and repulsive light； thus nursing
superstition and working on the fears of mankind； rather than on
the conscience and the sense of moral accountability。 But how
could Dante have represented the ideas of the Middle Ages； if he
had not painted his Inferno in the darkest colors that the
imagination could conceive； unless he had soared beyond what is
revealed into the unfathomable and mysterious and unrevealed
regions of the second death？
After various wanderings in France and Italy； and after an interval
of three years； Dante produced the second part of the poem；the
Purgatorio；in which he assumes another style； and sings another
song。 In this we are introduced to an illustrious company；many
beloved friends； poets； musicians； philosophers； generals； even
prelates and popes； whose deeds and thoughts were on the whole
beneficent。 These illustrious men temporarily expiate the sins of
anger； of envy； avarice； gluttony； pride； ambition；the great
defects which were blended with virtues； and which are to be purged
out of them by suffering。 Their torments are milder； and amid them
they discourse on the principles of moral wisdom。 They utter noble
sentiments； they discuss great themes； they show how vain is wealth
and power and fame； they preach sermons。 In these discourses；
Dante shows his familiarity with history and philosophy； he unfolds
that moral wisdom for which he is most distinguished。 His scorn is
now tempered with tenderness。 He shows a true humanity； he is more
forgiving； more generous； more sympathetic。 He is more lofty； if
he is not more intense。 He sees the end of expiations： the
sufferers will be restored to peace and joy。
But even in his purgatory； as in his hell； he paints the ideas of
his age。 He makes no new or extraordinary revelations。 He arrives
at no new philosophy。 He is the Christian poet； after the pattern
of his age。
It is plain that the Middle Ages must have accepted or invented
some relief from punishment； or every Christian country would have
been overwhelmed with the blackness of despair。 Men could not
live； if they felt they could not expiate their sins。 Who could
smile or joke or eat or sleep or have any pleasure； if he thought
seriously there would be no cessation or release from endless
pains？ Who could discharge his ordinary duties or perform his
daily occupations； if his father or his mother or his sister or his
brother or his wife or his son or his daughter might not be finally
forgiven for the frailties of an imperfect nature which he had
inherited？ The Catholic Church； in its benignity；at what time I
do not know；opened the future of hope amid the speculations of
despair。 She saved the Middle Ages from universal gloom。 If
speculation or logic or tradition or scripture pointed to a hell of
reprobation； there must be also a purgatory as the field of
expiation； for expiation there must be for sin； somewhere； somehow；
according to immutable laws； unless a mantle of universal
forgiveness were spread over sinners who in this life had given no
sufficient proofs of repentance and faith。 Expiation was the great
element of Mediaeval theology。 It may have been borrowed from
India； but it was engrafted on the Christian system。 Sometimes it
was made to take place in this life； when the sinner； having
pleased God； entered at once upon heavenly beatitudes。 Hence
fastings； scourgings； self…laceration； ascetic rigors in dress and
food； pilgrimages；all to purchase forgiveness； which idea of
forgiveness was scattered to the winds by Luther； and replaced by
grace；faith in Christ attested by a righteous life。 I allude to
this notion of purgatory； which early entered into the creeds of
theologians； and which was adopted by the Catholic Church； to show
how powerful it was when human consciousness sought a relief from
the pains of endless physical torments。
After Dante had written his Purgatorio； he retired to the
picturesque mountains which separate Tuscany from Modena and
Bologna； and in the hospitium of an ancient monastery； 〃on the
woody summit of a rock from which he might gaze on his ungrateful
country； he renewed his studies in philosophy and theology。〃
There； too； in that calm retreat； he commenced his Paradiso； the
subject of profound meditations on what was held in highest value
in the Middle Ages。 The themes are theological and metaphysical。
They are such as interested Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventura； Anselm
and Bernard。 They are such as do not interest this age；even the
most gifted minds；for our times are comparatively indifferent to
metaphysical subtleties and speculations。 Beatrice and Peter and
Benedict alike discourse on the recondite subjects of the Bible in
the style of Mediaeval doctors。 The themes are great；the
incarnation； the immortality of the soul； the resurrection of the
body； salvation by faith； the triumph of Christ； the glory of
Paradise； the mysteries of the divine and human natures； and with
these disquisitions are reproofs of bad popes； and even of some of
the bad customs of the Church； like indulgences； and the
corruptions of the monastic system。 The Paradiso is a thesaurus of
Mediaeval theology；obscure； but lofty； mixed up with all the
learning of the age； even of the lives of saints and heroes and
kings and prophets。 Saint Peter examines Dante upon faith； James
upon hope； and John upon charity。 Virgil here has ceased to be his
guide； but Beatrice； robed in celestial loveliness； conducts him
from circle to circle； and explains the sublimest doctrines and
resolves his mortal doubts；the object still of his adoration； and
inferior only to the mother of our Lord； regina angelorum； mater
carissima； whom the Church even then devoutly worshipped； and to
whom the greatest sages prayed。
〃Thou virgin mother； daughter of thy Son；
Humble and high beyond all other creatures；
The limit fixed of the eternal counsel；
Thou art the one who such nobility
To human nature gave； that its Creator
Did not disdain to make himself its creature。
Not only thy benignity gives succor
To him who asketh it； but oftentimes
Forerunneth of its own accord the asking。
In thee compassion is； in thee is pity
In thee magnificence； in thee unites
Whate'er of goodness is in any creature。〃
In the glorious meditation of those grand subjects which had such a
charm for Benedict and Bernard； and which almost offset the
barbarism and misery of the Middle Ages；to many still regarded as
〃ages of faith；〃Dante seemingly forgets his wrongs； and in the
company of her whom he adores he seems to revel in the solemn
ecstasy of a soul transported to the realms of eternal light。 He
lives now with the angels and the mysteries；
〃Like to the fire
That in a cloud imprisoned doth break out expansive。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。
Thus； in that heavenly banqueting his soul
Outgrew himself； and； in the transport lost；
Holds no remembrance now of what she was。〃
The Paradise of Dante is not gloomy； although it be obscure and
indefinite。 It is the unexplored world of thought and knowledge；
the explanation of dogmas which his age accepted。 It is a
revelation of glories such as only a lofty soul could conceive； but
could not paint；a supernal happiness given only to favored
mortals； to saints and martyrs who have triumphed over the
seductions of sense and the temptations of life；a beatified state
of blended ecstasy and love。
〃Had I a tongue in eloquence as rich as is the coloring in fancy's loom；
'Twere all too poor to utter the least part of that enchantment。〃
Such is this great poem； in all its parts and exposition of the
ideas of the age；sometimes fierce and sometimes tender； profound
and infantine； lofty and degraded； like the Church itself； which
conserved these sentiments。 It is an intensely religious poem； and
yet more theological than Christian； and full of classical
allusions to pagan heroes and sages；a most remarkable production
considering the age； and； when we remember that it is without a
prototype in any language； a glorious monument of reviving
literature； both original and powerful。
Its appearance was of course an epoch； calling out the admiration
of Italia