these spirits, who hope to obtain pardon by the intercession of their friends." The text alluded to is that in the Æneid, vi. 376, "Desine fata Deûm flecti sperare precando," and "was uttered in Hell," answers Virgil, "where no prayers can avail."

Page 50. (Line 37.) The meaning is, that the decrees of: God are not inconsistent. (38.) The flame of love refers more particularly to the charitable prayers of good men offered up for the souls in Purgatory. But let it be applied to our Saviour, and in a single stanza is explained clearly the most important doctrine of our religion. (47.) The epithets "ridente e felice," apply naturally to Beatrice. Having so applied them originally in my translation, I have not been since induced by the arguments of the commentators to apply them to the mountain.

Page 51. (Line 62.) "Sordello was a celebrated Troubadour, born at Goito, near Mantua, in the service of Raymond Berenger. He was among the first to adopt the ballad form of writing, and his merit consists in the harmony and sensibility of his verses. The age of Sordello was that of the most brilliant chivalric virtues and the most atrocious crimes.... He united, according to popular report, the most brilliant military exploits to the most distinguished poetical genius. By the voice of St. Louis himself he had been recognized at. ae tournay, as the bravest of knights. His reputation is owing very materially to the admiration here expressed for him by Dante, who is so struck with the noble haughtiness of his aspect that he compares him to a lion in a state of majestic repose."-Sismondi. Ital. Lit. Roscoe's Trans. (66.)

"A guisa de leon quando si posa."

"Dante paints a great character by his inaction. Sordello had led a very active life, and after having made every effort

for his country, died, despairing of the fate of Italy.—While a crowd of ghosts, curious about the affairs of the world, followed the poet to learn news of him, Sordello kept aloof. Dante had not before named him, nor does he give any reason for his disdainful silence."-Ugo Foscolo. Edinburgh Review, No. 58. (72.) Virgil, in answer to Sordello's enquiry as to his country, was beginning, in the words of his epitaph: “Mantua me genuit," &c. when hearing but the name of his country, Sordello instantly springs up and embraces him, (74.) "There is ever a latent sympathy in the mind of posterity, which recognizes with an instinctive gladness the feelings of their ancestors, when disclosed to them in books or monuments. What a beautiful symbol of this truth is contained in that canto of the Purgatorio which relates to the meeting between Sordel and Virgil. Centuries and the mutations of centuries lapse into nothing before that strong feeling of homogeneity which bursts forth in the, O Mantovano!"—Arthur Henry Hallam. Remains in Verse and Prose. "From the recollection of the joyful interview of these two compatriots, the poet, turning his thoughts to the divisions by which his country was torn, is justly aroused by feelings of the utmost indignation, which give rise to the vehement apostrophe that occupies the remainder of the canto.”—Biagioli. The state of Italy at this time is fully shown by Rossetti. Sullo Spirito Antipapale, p. 34, &c. See extracts from the same in octavo edition. (78.) "Shethat was great among the nations, and prince among the provinces, how is she become tributary?"—Lament. of Jeremiah cap. i. 1. (82.) "If identity of country rendered Sordello and Virgil so affectionate, who lived in far distant times, much more," Dante infers, "should those love each other who are contemporaries, and living within the same wall."-Lombardi. Hence Milton. Paradise Lost, b. ii.

"O shame to men! devil with devil damn'd
Firm concord holds. Men only disagree,
Or creatures rational, though under hope
Of heavenly grace, and God proclaiming peace,
Yet live in battle, enmity, and strife
Among themselves, and levy cruel wars;
Wasting the earth, each other to destroy:

As if (which might induce us to accord)
Man had not hellish foes enew beside,

That day and night for his destruction wait."

Page 52. (Line 88.) i.e. Justinian delivered Italy from the Goths, and reformed the laws. See Par. vi. But his exertions are of no avail, if she is to be no longer under the controul of his successor. Italy is described under the figure of an untamed steed. (91.) "Ahi gente! che dovresti esser divota," &c. The "gente," whom Dante seems to have avoided mentioning in a more marked manner, are not "the people," as generally interpreted, but " the Priests." The identical words, "La gente," are used in the sixteenth canto, line 100, and evidently relate to the Priests, who are said to follow the example of the Pope, in making worldly emoluments their sole pursuit. (93.) "Render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and unto God the things that are God's". (96.) "Poi che ponesti mano alla predella." These words, generally applied to Albert, in the following stanza, are by Lombardi more properly referred to the "gente," the Priests, in the preceding. But, interpreting predella to mean seggio instead of bridella, he gives a forced interpretation to the words "ponesti mano," i.e. " done violence to the imperial seat." That these words are used in the more common acceptation may be proved by the passage just referred to, canto xvi. 100, where Dante, speaking on the

same subject-the Popes and their assumption of temporal power-uses the very same words. “Le legge son, ma chi pon man ad esse?" The present passage will thus mean: "Oh ye priests, who, &c.—look how, since the time when ye took the bridle (i.e. the government) in hand, Italy, like a wild beast, hath refused to submit to restraint, and broken into all manner of uncurbed licentiousness." (97.) Albert, Emperor of Austria, succeeded his father, Rodolph, in 1298. Of Rodolph see canto vii. 94. Albert, here referred to, never entered Italy. The imprecation, directed against him in the form of a prophecy, points to his murder in 1308 by his nephew. Hence it appears that Dante did not finish his poem till a later period. (102.) The successor of Albert was Henry VII. of Luxemburg, whom Dante vainly expected to deliver his country. Italy, which Albert and his father neglected for the sake of their German possessions, is by Dante called "the garden of the empire:" by Lord Byron," the garden of the world."— Childe Harold, iv. 26. (106.) The hostility of the Guelfs and Ghibellines ruined these great families. "The old palace of the Cappelletti, with its uncouth balcony and irregular windows, is still standing in a lane near the market-place of Verona; and what Englishman can behold it with indifference?"-Rogers.

Page 53, (Line 111.) Santifiore was a place near Siena -mentioned as an instance of the desolations committed by robbers, through the inertness of the government. A bitter irony is intended in this and the following lines.

Page 54. (Line 145.) Hence Chaucer. Clerke's Tale.-
"O stormy people, unsted and ever untrue,

And indiscreet, and changing as a fan,
Delighting ever in rombel that is new;
For like the mone waxen ye and wane."

CANTO VII.

ARGUMENT.

SORDELLO informs the Poets that they cannot ascend by night; and leads them to a beautiful valley, where are many illus. trious spirits, who have delayed repentance to a late period. The Emperor Rodolph. Ottocar Philip III. of France. Henry of Navarre. Peter III. of Arragon. Charles I. of Naples. Henry III. of England. William, Marquis of Montferrat.

WHEN these kind greetings, made so courteously, Had been repeated now full many a time, Back drew Sordello, saying: "Who are ye?" "Ere yet the souls whom God decreed to save, (Worthy such grace) were taught this mount to climb, A burial to my bones Octavian gave:

Virgil am I ;-nor lost to me is Heaven

For any crime, but want of faith alone.”.

To him this answer by my guide was given. Like unto one, who suddenly descries

Something so wondrous, he exclaims anon, "It is it is not :"-e'en in such surprise

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