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E'en such was I, while feasting on the view
Of his warm charity, who here below

That blessed peace by contemplation knew.
Then he "O son of grace !—while such amaze

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Wraps thee, this blessed life thou canst not know, Holding thine eyes bent down in wondering gaze. But view the circles, e'en the most remote,

Until the Queen upon her throne thou seest,
To whom this realm is subject and devote."
I raised mine eyes;-and as in morning's pride
More beauteous are the regions of the east,
Than those where Phoebus sinks at eventide;
So, travelling with my eyesight, as it were,

From vale to mount, I saw the extremity

More deck'd with splendour than the front appear.

And as the horizon is with lustre dight

On earth, what time the solar car draws nigh,
While other quarters show diminished light;
So, in the midst, a livelier lustre wore

That peaceful Oriflame; while either side
Relax'd the flame that lighted it before:
And in that centre, with their wings outspread,
Thousands of joyous Angels I descried,
On each of whom a different ray was shed.

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At their festivity and gladsome song

I saw the Virgin smile, whose rapture shot

Joy through the eyes of all that blessed throng : And even did the words that I possess

Equal imagination, I should not

Dare the attempt her faintest charms to express. When Bernard now perceived mine eyes intent,

And stedfast fix'd upon her glowing flame, His own with holiest love on her were bent; So that more ardent still my gaze became.

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NOTES.

Page 291. (Line 2.) The Sacred Band are the beatified spirits, who having washed themselves in the blood of the Lamb, and being clothed in white garments, form the leaves of the white Rose. As part of the Church of Christ, they are said to be espoused to him, according to the language of Scripture ;and thus in the Purgatorio, xxiii. 81, man is said to be re-espoused to God by repentance. (4.) The winged Beings are Angels who are seen ascending and descending. From their activity and industry in speeding the intercourse of God with the Saints, they are now compared to bees. Dante had in mind the pictures of Horace and Virgil: "Ego apis Matinæ more modoque Grata carpentis thyma," &c. iv. Od. 2. 27. "Qualis apes æstate novâ per florea rura," &c. Æn.

i. 430. "Ac veluti in pratis ubi apes æstate serenâ Floribus insidunt variis," &c. Æn. vi. 707. So the two Latin poets had Homer before them: “ Ηὔτε ἔθνεα εισι μελισσάων αδινάων,” &c. Il. ii. 87. Milton might cull from all.-Par. Lost. i. 768.

Page 292. (Line 13.) The ardour of the living flame denotes their charity; the snow-like whiteness their purity; the fanning of their wings their active benevolence. (20.) The expression, "Fountain of their bliss,” is an accidental coincidence with that used by Bishop Bull at the conclusion of a passage too beautiful to omit: "Among the blessed in heaven there shall be no discontent or repining, no pride or disdain, no grudging or envy; but there shall be all contentment, all joy, all thankfulness, all love. They that are seated in the higher mansions of glory shall not look down with contempt on those that are beneath them; nor shall these lift up an envious eye toward the other; but they shall perfectly love and delight in each other: and by an inexpressible union of sublimate charity each shall make what the other enjoys his own, and all together shall make up in different notes one sweet harmonious concert in the praises of God, the Fountain of their bliss." Serm. vii. (25.) The "spirits of ancient and modern days" are the twofold band before mentioned, viz. Angels and Saints. The eyes of both are fixed on Christ. (30.) i e. The distress of Italy-tost like a vessel in the tempest, as described Purg. vi. 77. That Florence is particularly alluded to, is evident from line 39. Thus we find that amid his highest flights Dante is constantly recurring to his beloved country. See note, xxv. 1. (33.) The land round which Helice, i.e. the Ursa Major, wheels, is that to the north, whence the barbarians came: her son-Bootes. A most bitter reproach is conveyed in the following contrast of the heavenly

Jerusalem with the injustice, the disunion, and the madness of the Florentine people.

Page 293. (Line 50.) i.e. Adorned with the light of God, and the smile of their own happy features. The picture given in these three lines-elegant from their very simplicity-is an instance of Dante's peculiar and inimitable manner. (56.) Beatrice had returned to her seat, "in the highest grade of the third circle of the Rose." See line 67. (60.) The old man is St. Bernard, clad in the white robes of the Saints. The description of him is similar to that of Cato, Purg, i. 31.

Page 294. (Line 81.) Beatrice went down to Limbo to persuade Virgil to assist Dante. Inf. ii. 52. The slavery from which she had released Dante was that of his own passions. See Purg. xxx. 136.

Page 295. (Line 103.) Croatia, a province adjoining Sclavonia. The Veronica, or true resemblance, is a picture of Christ supposed to have been miraculously imprinted upon a handkerchief preserved in the Church of St. Peter at Rome.

Page 296. (Line 116.) The Virgin Mary. (128.) This term, in its original signification denoting a signal of war, is here applied with the epithet "peaceful" to the Virgin Mary.

CANTO XXXII.

ARGUMENT.

ST. BERNARD points out the two divisions of the Rose-viz. the Saints of the Old, and of the New Testament. Among these are seen Adam and Eve-John the Baptist-the Virgin Mary-the Angel Gabriel-St. Peter, &c., &c.

GAZING on her whose Son brought peace to man,

That meditative soul instruction sweet

Pour'd forth, and thus in holy words began:
"The ancient wound that Mary bound and heal'd,
She open'd, who is sitting at her feet,
In form of perfect loveliness reveal'd.
Beneath her, ranking in the third degree,

Is Rachel seated there; and at her side

Is Beatrice, as thou may'st clearly see,

Sarah, Rebecca, Judith, and she who

Was ancestress to the sweet Bard that cried,
'Have mercy on my sins,' thus may'st thou view

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