按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Its appearance was of course an epoch； calling out the admiration
of Italians； and of all who could understand it；of all who
appreciated its moral wisdom in every other country of Europe。 And
its fame has been steadily increasing； although I fear much of the
popular enthusiasm is exaggerated and unfelt。 One who can read
Italian well may see its 〃fiery emphasis and depth；〃 its condensed
thought and language； its supernal scorn and supernal love； its
bitterness and its forgiveness； but few modern readers accept its
theology or its philosophy； or care at all for the men whose crimes
he punishes； and whose virtues he rewards。
But there is great interest in the man； as well as in the poem
which he made the mirror of his life； and the register of his
sorrows and of those speculations in which he sought to banish the
remembrance of his misfortunes。 His life； like his poem； is an
epic。 We sympathize with his resentments； 〃which exile and poverty
made perpetually fresh。〃 〃The sincerity of his early passion for
Beatrice；〃 says Hallam； 〃pierces through the veil of allegory which
surrounds her； while the memory of his injuries pursues him into
the immensity of eternal light； and even in the company of saints
and angels his unforgiving spirit darkens at the name of Florence。 。 。 。
He combines the profoundest feelings of religion with those
patriotic recollections which were suggested by the reappearance of
the illustrious dead。〃
Next to Michael Angelo he was the best of all famous Italians；
stained by no marked defects but bitterness； pride； and scorn；
while his piety； his patriotism； and elevation of soul stand out in
marked contrast with the selfishness and venality and hypocrisy and
cruelty of the leading men in the history of his times。 〃He wrote
with his heart's blood；〃 he wrote in poverty； exile； grief； and
neglect； he wrote like an inspired prophet of old。 He seems to
have been specially raised up to exalt virtue； and vindicate the
ways of God to man； and prepare the way for a new civilization。 He
breathes angry defiance to all tyrants； he consigns even popes to
the torments he created。 He ridicules fools； he exposes knaves。
He detests oppression； he is a prophet of liberty。 He sees into
all shams and all hypocrisies； and denounces lies。 He is temperate
in eating and drinking； he has no vices。 He believes in
friendship； in love； in truth。 He labors for the good of his
countrymen。 He is affectionate to those who comprehend him。 He
accepts hospitalities； but will not stoop to meanness or injustice。
He will not return to his native city； which he loves so well； even
when permitted； if obliged to submit to humiliating ceremonies。 He
even refuses a laurel crown from any city but from the one in which
he was born。 No honors could tempt him to be untrue unto himself；
no tasks are too humble to perform； if he can make himself useful。
At Ravenna he gives lectures to the people in their own language；
regarding the restoration of the Latin impossible； and wishing to
bring into estimation the richness of the vernacular tongue。 And
when his work is done he dies； before he becomes old （1321）； having
fulfilled his vow。 His last retreat was at Ravenna； and his last
days were soothed with gentle attentions from Guido da Polenta；
that kind duke who revived his fainting hopes。 It was in his
service； as ambassador to Venice； that Dante sickened and died。 A
funeral sermon was pronounced upon him by his friend the duke； and
beautiful monuments were erected to his memory。 Too late the
Florentines begged for his remains； and did justice to the man and
the poet； as well they might； since his is the proudest name
connected with their annals。 He is indeed one of the great
benefactors of the world itself； for the richness of his immortal
legacy。
Could the proscribed and exiled poet； as he wandered； isolated and
alone； over the vine…clad hills of Italy； and as he stopped here
and there at some friendly monastery； wearied and hungry； have cast
his prophetic eye down the vistas of the ages； could he have seen
what honors would be bestowed upon his name； and how his poem；
written in sorrow； would be scattered in joy among all nations；
giving a new direction to human thought； shining as a fixed star in
the realms of genius； and kindling into shining brightness what is
only a reflection of its rays； yea； how it would be committed to
memory in the rising universities； and be commented on by the most
learned expositors in all the schools of Europe； lauded to the
skies by his countrymen； received by the whole world as a unique；
original； unapproachable production； suggesting grand thoughts to
Milton； reappearing even in the creations of Michael Angelo；
coloring art itself whenever art seeks the sublime and beautiful；
inspiring all subsequent literature； dignifying the life of
letters； and gilding philosophy as well as poetry with new
glories；could he have seen all this； how his exultant soul would
have rejoiced； even as did Abraham； when； amid the ashes of the
funeral pyre he had prepared for Isaac； he saw the future glories
of his descendants； or as Bacon； when； amid calumnies； he foresaw
that his name and memory would be held in honor by posterity； and
that his method would be received by all future philosophers as one
of the priceless boons of genius to mankind！
AUTHORITIES。
Vita Nuova； Divina Commedia；Translations by Carey and Longfellow；
Boccaccio's Life of Dante； Wright's St。 Patrick's Purgatory； Dante
et la Philosophie Catholique du Treizieme Siecle； par Ozinan；
Labitte； La Divine Comedie avant Dante； Balbo's Life and Times of
Dante； Hallam's Middle Ages； Napier's Florentine History； Villani；
Leigh Hunt's Stories from the Italian Poets； Botta's Life of Dante；
J。 R。 Lowell's article on Dante in American Cyclopaedia； Milman's
Latin Christianity； Carlyle's Heroes and Hero…worship； Macaulay's
Essays； The Divina Commedia from the German of Schelling；
Voltaire's Dictionnaire Philosophique； La Divine Comedie； by
Lamennais； Dante； by Labitte。
GEOFFREY CHAUCER
A。D。 1340…1400。
ENGLISH LIFE IN THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY。
The age which produced Chaucer was a transition period from the
Middle Ages to modern times； midway between Dante and Michael
Angelo。 Chaucer was the contemporary of Wyclif； with whom the
Middle Ages may appropriately be said to close； or modern history
to begin。
The fourteenth century is interesting for the awakening； especially
in Italy； of literature and art； for the wars between the French
and English； and the English and the Scots； for the rivalry between
the Italian republics； for the efforts of Rienzi to establish
popular freedom at Rome； for the insurrection of the Flemish
weavers； under the Van Arteveldes； against their feudal oppressors；
for the terrible 〃Jacquerie〃 in Paris； for the insurrection of Wat
Tyler in England； for the Swiss confederation； for a schism in the
Church when the popes retired to Avignon； for the aggrandizement of
the Visconti at Milan and the Medici at Florence； for incipient
religious reforms under Wyclif in England and John Huss in Bohemia；
for the foundation of new colleges at Oxford and Cambridge； for the
establishment of guilds in London； for the exploration of distant
countries； for the dreadful pestilence which swept over Europe；
known in England as the Black Death； for the development of modern
languages by the poets； and for the rise of the English House of
Commons as a great constitutional power。
In most of these movements we see especially a simultaneous rising
among the people； in the more civilized countries of Europe； to
obtain charters of freedom and municipal and political privileges；
extorted from monarchs in their necessities。 The fourteenth
century was marked by protests and warfare equally against feudal
institutions and royal tyranny。 The way was prepared by the wars
of kings； which crippled their resources； as the Crusades had done
a century before。 The supreme miseries of the people led them to
political revolts and insurrections；blind but fierce movements；
not inspired by ideas of liberty； but by a sense of oppression and
degradation。 Accompanying these popular insurrections were
religions protests against the corrupted institutions of the
Church。
In the midst of these popular agitations； aggressive and needless
wars； public miseries and calamities； baronial aggrandizement；
religious inquiries； parliamentary encroachment； and reviving taste
for literature and art； Chaucer arose。
His remarkable career extended over the last half of the fourteenth
century； when public events were of considerable historical
importance。 It was then that parliamentary history became
interesting。 Until then the barons； clergy； knights of the shire；
and burgesses of the town； summoned to assist the royal councils；