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1236 ®%e &eaiieV* [Saturday ,
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tuttunxt.
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Critics are not the legislators, but the...
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The new Year promises fewer adventures i...
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DANTE S LIFE AND TIMES. The Li fraud Tim...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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1236 ®%E &Eaiiev* [Saturday ,
1236 ® % e & eaiieV * [ Saturday ,
Tuttunxt.
tuttunxt .
Critics Are Not The Legislators, But The...
Critics are not the legislators , but the judges and police of literature . They do not make laws—they interpret and try to enforce them—Edinburgh Review .
The New Year Promises Fewer Adventures I...
The new Year promises fewer adventures in the crowded thoroughfare of Periodicals than is customary at this epoch . Among the few we maynotice , as likely to be important , the venture of a New Quarterly Review , which , departing from the now established rule of quarterlies to give * essays , sparsely varied with reviews , proposes to fill the real office of a Literary Review , and exclusively
devote its pages to criticisms . It undertakes to present a view of all the publications of the quarter a task more laborious and expensive than is perhaps fairly appreciated . In fact , it intends to supply what even the weekly journals , with their facilities , cannot perfectly accomplish . But we shall better see by its opening number the chance it has of creating a public for itself .
Talking of new quarterlies reminds us that the Westminster and Foreign Quarterly may be almost so considered under its new management , and we look forward to the January number with extreme interest . Report that may be relied on speaks of the very highest names on the Liberal side as contributing to the work j and American writers of distinction have been invited to cooperate for a double purpose : first , that American Literature may be surveyed by the most accurately informed writers ; secondly , that American reprinters may be successfully defied—two of the important articles being copyright in America !
The programme of the new number is varied and attractive . It will be sufficient to set at rest all misgivings formerly so rife respecting the danger of the Review ' s becoming simply the organ of that section of thinkers illustrated by the " Catholic Series . " As we anticipated , Mr . Chapman has the sagacity to see that his Review must be the reflection not of one , but of all the liberal tendencies of thought in our day .
Dante S Life And Times. The Li Fraud Tim...
DANTE S LIFE AND TIMES . The Li fraud Times of Dante AligMcri . By Count Cesare Balbo . Translated from the Italian by 1 <\ J . Bunbury . In 2 vols . Uentley . The greatest of Italian poets , like most other great Poets , has been indifferently treated by biographers , probably because the minds most competent to the task have had misgivings which did not assail the temerity of lesser men . All the great critics have written about Dante ; but a really critical
and poetic Life has been left to inferior writers . Foscolo might have written a book such as posterity could accept : he had the learning and the taste for such a task . The only name attached to a biography of the great Florentine , that can command the attention of men , is that of Uoccaccio , his friend and generous appreciator . Unhappily Boccaccio's Memoir is but a memoir , and though sweetly written , fails to meet the many inquiries which spring up around the subject in our day .
Count Cesare Balbo has here presented us with a work , which may fairly be said to supply the place of all compilations on this subject , but leaves the great biography still to write . For the patient learning and temperate spirit with which he has performed his ta . sk , let all praise be given . Hut the eloquence , the subtlety , the profundity , and artistic power , demanded by the subject , we must seek elsewhere . No complete imago of the great poet issues from these pages . The eighty pages consecrated to him in Leigh Hunt ' s Italian I'oets , are in this respect worth the two volumes . Hut " it were to consider too curiously " to treat . Umh
work us an attempt to solve the problems of the Poet ' s life . Count IJalbo ban put forth his strength elsewhere . He bus endeavoured' to paint an historical picture , lie has striven to render Dante ' s age familiar to us ; and in this task he has been skilfully aided by the fair translator . We cordially commend the book to those who Imve read , or are about to read that marvellous jioein , the Divine Comedy . They will find much that , is new and curious in it ; and they will fuid the wholes pleasant reading . Like ; ino . st . modern books , it wants an index , though it in precisely to such books that the addition of an index is valuable .
Among the points which Count Balbo has not placed in a clear light , is that ( biographically ) allimportant one — his love for Beatrice . We talk of Dante ' s Beatrice as we do of Petrarch ' s Laura and of Tasso ' s Leonora . But we forget—somewhat wilfully it may be—that Dante and Beatrice were children of the respective ages of nine and eight j and that this Romance of his was purely a Romance , not an abiding passion . As a child she quizzed him , as a girl she jilted him . For poetical purposes he made her his Idol , his Muse . A little more attention to the realities of the story would have saved reams of conjectural commentary . But what can you do with commentators , —
' Gens ratione ferox et mentem pasta chima ^ ris , who daringly overlook the fact that Beatrice married another , and assure you she died in all the splendour of her virginity ? It must not be concluded from what has just been said that Beatrice is only an allegorical fiction , as commentators sometimes declare . Dante assuredly meant by Beatrice , not Theology—but Beatrice , as Count Balbo says : —
" The ' Commedia was first conceived in an impulse of passionate love ; it was developed in a dream , and confirmed by a vow of love ; it was abandoned , and after eight years resumed ; for thirty years it occupied Dante ' s mind and constant heart , and , the vow being fulfilled , the labours and life of the unhappy poet ended together . There is no work of imagination which is so true or so great a proof of love as this divine poem . Thus , amid the corruptions , additions , and contractions from which , it has suffered , nothing excites one ' s indignation so much , nor ought more resolutely to be rejected by all who wish to
understand the ' Commedia' and to enter into all its beauties , than the supposition that Beatrice is sometimes to be understood as Theology , sometimes as Philosophy , and sometimes as Italy . That she was intended to represent either of the last two of these three allegorical personages is absolutely false , and that she represented the first is only an approach , to the truth ; for Beatrice , who ranges throughout the whole of heaven , and of whom Dante speaks throughout his whole poem , cannot be meant by him . for Theology ,
to which he gives a determinate place in the tilth heaven , and of which he treats expressly in the 10 th and four succeeding cantos of the ' Paradiso . ' If we desire to read Dante ' s works as he intended that the y should be read , we must understand their literal sense before their allegorical ; and thus every time that we meet with Beatrice , we must understand the real Beatrice , Portinari ' s graceful daughter , Dante ' s lost mistress . But it is also true that , if we seek for it , we shall find an allegorical as well as a literal
sense But there are other particular allegories in the poem , without which parts of it would be less beautiful , and even unintelligible . And first , though it ought to be always remembered that Beatrice is really the woman whom . Dante loved , still there is also an allegory understood in her name . But this is merely the idealisation of a beloved mistress , and this was done not only by Dante , but by Petrarch , and afterwards by many of their followers , and . by all those poets who were on that account called Platonists , as well as many who were not poets , but merely lovers .
Ihese considered a virtuous and beloved mistress as a means of rising from vice to virtue , from earth to heaven , from a devotion to material and base things to a comprehension of what was spiritual and divine , and even of God himself . This knowledge and adoration of God , and blessedness in Him , itt what we find , figured under the name of Beatrice . The allegory , thus understood , does not destroy nor conceal the real image of Beatrice , but rather elevates and glorifies her , in the manner which many other poets and lovers have attempted , but have never succeeded in doing as Dante nan done ; and this docs not diminish , but increases , the beauty of the poem .
"As licatricc is both the Beatrice herself and the personification of the knowledge of and blessedness in God , m > the Virgil of this poem is both the real Virgil and the- representative of Poetry ; the Sun also represents theological knowledge ; and thus we might go on . The whole poem , from beginning to end , is full of these ; allegories , most of them beautiful , but Home indifferent , and some we muwt acknowledge perfectly useless , involved , and obscure . " Of Dante ' s own wife we hear little , and that little ontiadietory . lie himself , no prodigal of tender phrases to Beatrice , never mentions Iuh wife . Was it to her that he alludes in the passage Count ; lialbo inves here ? - -
" Two years and a half hud elapsed since ; the : death of Ihn mistress , and it was about the close of 121 ) 2 , or the beginning of 12 !) . { , when he Haw a young and lu-aut . ilid lndy at u window looking on him compassionately ; and , whenever uflerwtutln ho Haw her , her luce expressed companion , und , from itn paleness , one
would almost suppose love . This remiudedTTL many times of his mistress , who was also at all ti pale . And many times , when he could not wl « G | thus relieve his sadness , he used to go and 2 ' iv compassionate lady , whose sight seemed to draVti ! tears from his eyes . And this went so far that Ji his eyes began to delight in looking ather ! atwl 5 ofif was often angry with himself , and considered Wm 8 el ? base m so doing , and oftentimes he cursed the van- ! of his eyes . ' The sight of this lad y / he Sjfi * ' brought me to so strange a condition , that manv times the thought of her became too pleasant tnl and thus I would think of her . This lady is a 1 ^' courteous and beautiful , and young and wise an J perhaps bestowed on me by Love , in order that uei ™ /?*^! ! Kfe . And many ti I
S ^* ™ - . mes thought of her still more passionately , so that mv heart assented to this , that is , to my reasoning And when it had thus assented , I reflected on what mv reason suggested to me , and then said to myself 'Ah , what a thought is this , that would console me hi so base a manner , and scarcely allows me another thought ! ' Then another thought occurred to me and I said : * Now , since Love has brought thee into such tribulation , why dost thou not wish to withdraw thyself from such bitterness ? Thou seest that this is an emotion that brings before thee the desires of love ; and it is awakened by so sweet a means , that is to say , by that lady who has shown herself so compassionate towards thee . '
" Dante , as usual , turns the account of his various struggles into verse ; four poems on this subject are in 'theVitaNuova , ' and two are in another book ( which he wrote some years later ) , ' the Convito . '" Among the anecdotes in these volumes , the following may amuse you : — " Another instance of the insolence Dante was apt to display in speech is recorded by a modern author , who does not give his authority : Dante was standing in the church of Santa Maria Novella , meditating
apart , and leaning upon an altar , when he was accosted by one of those bores who have no idea of solitude and silence , and like always to be employed in trifling conversation . Dante made many efforts to get rid of him , but , not succeeding , said to him , ' Before I answer thee , wilt thou solve a question for me ? What is the greatest beast in the world ? ' The man answered , ' By the authority of Pliny it was supposed to be the elephant . ' ' Well , ' replied Dante , ' O Elephant , do not annoy me ; ' and so he departed . "
This is quoted as "insolence , " but mayit not have been one of his jokes ? All depends upon the tone in which such things are said . We are limited in space , and must conclude with one more extract , showing how Boccaccio painted : —
A PORTRAIT OF DANTE . " This poet of ours was then of moderate stature , and since he had arrived at a mature age he walked a little stooping , and his walk was slow and quiet , and lie was always well dressed , and in a habit suitable to his mature age . His face was long , his nose aquiline , his eyes rather great than small , his jaws large , and his under li ^> projected beyond his upper lip . He had a brown complexion , his hair and beard were thick , black , and curly , and his countenance was always melancholy and thoughtful ; on which account , one day it happened at Verona ( for the iamo of his works had been everywhere spread , and
particularly that part of the ' Commedia ' which was called the Inferno , and he was known to many , both men and women ) , that he , passing before a door where many women were Hitting , one of them said to another softly , but not so softly but that she could be well heard by him , * Look at the man who goes into hell , mid returns when he pleases , and briii ^ H news to us here above from those there below . which one of them answered simply , ' Verily thou must speak the truth . Dost not thou see how the heat and smoke down below have given him so dark a colour and bo curled a beard ? ' Which words ho
hearing , Dante looked back on them , and , perceiving that these women spoke seriously , was amused , almost pleased , that they held such opinions , and smiling a little he continued his wulk . in his public and domestic habits ho whs wonderfully composed and orderly , and in all he did , above all others , courteous and polite . Jn his diet Iks was most moderate , taking his repasts at lixed hours , and not exceeding what necessity required : he indulged noithei in rating or drinking to any excewH . He pi '« 'i | H < ( delicate viands , and usually partook of the commonest ; he blamed above all those who windy much to hav <> choice dainties , and have them prepared with great care . No one was more earnest than lie , both m
his Htudies , and in any other object on which heW »» intent ; ho much so , that many times both his family and his wife complained of it , be / ore having become accustomed to his wuya , when they ceased to euro for it . He rarely upoko , unless he wiih questioned , mid then deliberately , and with a voice suited to U " matter on which he npoke . JNeverthelesH , when it . wan required , be was most eloquent and llowing ; with an excellent and ready delivery . "
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 27, 1851, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_27121851/page/16/
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