beacon lights of history-iii-2-第6部分

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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　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　Di