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。 In such states； they tell us； factions are always most violent： where both parties are cooped up within a narrow space； political difference necessarily produces personal malignity。 Every man must be a soldier； every moment may produce a war。 No citizen can lie down secure that he shall not be roused by the alarum…bell； to repel or avenge an injury。 In such petty quarrels Greece squandered the blood which might have purchased for her the permanent empire of the world； and Italy wasted the energy and the abilities which would have enabled her to defend her independence against the Pontiffs and the Caesars。
All this is true： yet there is still a compensation。 Mankind has not derived so much benefit from the empire of Rome as from the city of Athens； nor from the kingdom of France as from the city of Florence。 The violence of party feeling may be an evil； but it calls forth that activity of mind which in some states of society it is desirable to produce at any expense。 Universal soldiership may be an evil； but where every man is a soldier there will be no standing army。 And is it no evil that one man in every fifty should be bred to the trade of slaughter； should live only by destroying and by exposing himself to be destroyed； should fight without enthusiasm and conquer without glory； be sent to a hospital when wounded； and rot on a dunghill when old？ Such； over more than two…thirds of Europe； is the fate of soldiers。 It was something that the citizen of Milan or Florence fought； not merely in the vague and rhetorical sense in which the words are often used； but in sober truth； for his parents； his children； his lands； his house； his altars。 It was something that he marched forth to battle beneath the Carroccio； which had been the object of his childish veneration： that his aged father looked down from the battlements on his exploits； that his friends and his rivals were the witnesses of his glory。 If he fell； he was consigned to no venal or heedless guardians。 The same day saw him conveyed within the walls which he had defended。 His wounds were dressed by his mother； his confession was whispered to the friendly priest who had heard and absolved the follies of his youth； his last sigh was breathed upon the lips of the lady of his love。 Surely there is no sword like that which is beaten out of a ploughshare。 Surely this state of things was not unmixedly bad； its evils were alleviated by enthusiasm and by tenderness； and it will at least be acknowledged that it was well fitted to nurse poetical genius in an imaginative and observant mind。
Nor did the religious spirit of the age tend less to this result than its political circumstances。 Fanaticism is an evil； but it is not the greatest of evils。 It is good that a people should be roused by any means from a state of utter torpor；that their minds should be diverted from objects merely sensual； to meditations； however erroneous； on the mysteries of the moral and intellectual world； and from interests which are immediately selfish to those which relate to the past； the future； and the remote。 These effects have sometimes been produced by the worst superstitions that ever existed； but the Catholic religion； even in the time of its utmost extravagance and atrocity； never wholly lost the spirit of the Great Teacher； whose precepts form the noblest code； as His conduct furnished the purest example； of moral excellence。 It is of all religions the most poetical。 The ancient superstitions furnished the fancy with beautiful images； but took no hold on the heart。 The doctrines of the Reformed Churches have most powerfully influenced the feelings and the conduct of men； but have not presented them with visions of sensible beauty and grandeur。 The Roman Catholic Church has united to the awful doctrines of the one that Mr Coleridge calls the 〃fair humanities〃 of the other。 It has enriched sculpture and painting with the loveliest and most majestic forms。 To the Phidian Jupiter it can oppose the Moses of Michael Angelo； and to the voluptuous beauty of the Queen of Cyprus； the serene and pensive loveliness of the Virgin Mother。 The legends of its martyrs and its saints may vie in ingenuity and interest with the mythological fables of Greece； its ceremonies and processions were the delight of the vulgar； the huge fabric of secular power with which it was connected attracted the admiration of the statesman。 At the same time； it never lost sight of the most solemn and tremendous doctrines of Christianity；the incarnate God；the judgment；the retribution；the eternity of happiness or torment。 Thus； while； like the ancient religions； it received incalculable support from policy and ceremony； it never wholly became； like those religions； a merely political and ceremonial institution。
The beginning of the thirteenth century was； as Machiavelli has remarked； the era of a great revival of this extraordinary system。 The policy of Innocent；the growth of the Inquisition and the mendicant orders；the wars against the Albigenses； the Pagans of the East； and the unfortunate princes of the house of Swabia； agitated Italy during the two following generations。 In this point Dante was completely under the influence of his age。 He was a man of a turbid and melancholy spirit。 In early youth he had entertained a strong and unfortunate passion； which； long after the death of her whom he loved； continued to haunt him。 Dissipation； ambition； misfortunes had not effaced it。 He was not only a sincere； but a passionate； believer。 The crimes and abuses of the Church of Rome were indeed loathsome to him； but to all its doctrines and all its rites he adhered with enthusiastic fondness and veneration； and； at length； driven from his native country； reduced to a situation the most painful to a man of his disposition； condemned to learn by experience that no food is so bitter as the bread of dependence （〃Tu proverai si come sa di sale Lo pane altrui； e come e duro calle Lo scendere e'l sa'ir per l'altrui scale。〃 Paradiso； canto xvii。）；
and no ascent so painful as the staircase of a patron；his wounded spirit took refuge in visionary devotion。 Beatrice； the unforgotten object of his early tenderness； was invested by his imagination with glorious and mysterious attributes； she was enthroned among the highest of the celestial hierarchy： Almighty Wisdom had assigned to her the care of the sinful and unhappy wanderer who had loved her with such a perfect love。 （〃L'amico mio； e non della ventura。〃 Inferno； canto ii。） By a confusion； like that which often takes place in dreams； he has sometimes lost sight of her human nature； and even of her personal existence； and seems to consider her as one of the attributes of the Deity。
But those religious hopes which had released the mind of the sublime enthusiast from the terrors of death had not rendered his speculations on human life more cheerful。 This is an inconsistency which may often be observed in men of a similar temperament。 He hoped for happiness beyond the grave： but he felt none on earth。 It is from this cause； more than from any other； that his description of Heaven is so far inferior to the Hell or the Purgatory。 With the passions and m