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English sea； and the mountains of Arragon； and on the south by the people
of Provence and the declivity of the Apennine。〃 Ibid。 c。 x。 〃Each of these
three；〃 he observes； 〃has its own claims to distinction The excellency of
the French language consists in its being best adapted； on account of its
facility and agreeableness； to prose narration； （quicquid redactum； sive
inventum est ad vulgare prosaicum suum est）； and he instances the books
compiled on the gests of the Trojans and Romans and the delightful
adventures of King Arthur； with many other histories and works of
instruction。 The Spanish （or Provencal） may boast of its having produced
such as first cultivated in this as in a more perfect and sweet language； the
vernacular poetry： among whom are Pierre d'Auvergne； and others more
ancient。 The privileges of the Latin； or Italian are two： first that it may
reckon for its own those writers who have adopted a more sweet and
subtle style of poetry； in the number of whom are Cino； da Pistoia and his
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friend； and the next； that its writers seem to adhere to； certain general rules
of grammar； and in so doing give it； in the opinion of the intelligent； a very
weighty pretension to preference。〃
Canto XXVII
v。 1。 The sun。＇ At Jerusalem it was dawn； in Spain midnight； and in
India noonday； while it was sunset in Purgatory
v。 10。 Blessed。＇ Matt。 c。 v。 8。
v。 57。 Come。＇ Matt。 c。 xxv。 34。
v。 102。 I am Leah。＇ By Leah is understood the active life； as Rachel
figures the contemplative。 The divinity is the mirror in which the latter
looks。 Michel Angelo has made these allegorical personages the subject of
two statues on the monument of Julius II。 in the church of S。 Pietro in
Vincolo。 See Mr。 Duppa's Life of Michel Angelo； Sculpture viii。 And x。
and p 247。
v。 135。 Those bright eyes。＇ The eyes of Beatrice。
Canto XXVIII
v。 11。 To that part。＇ The west。
v。 14。 The feather'd quiristers＇ Imitated by Boccaccio； Fiammetta； 1。
iv。 〃Odi i queruli uccelli；〃 &c。 〃Hear the querulous birds plaining with
sweet songs； and the boughs trembling； and； moved by a gentle wind； as it
were keeping tenor to their notes。〃
v。 7。 A pleasant air。＇ Compare Ariosto； O。 F。 c。 xxxiv。 st。 50。
v。 Chiassi。＇ This is the wood where the scene of Boccaccio's
sublimest story is laid。 See Dec。 g。 5。 n。 8。 and Dryden's Theodore and
Honoria Our Poet perhaps wandered in it daring his abode with Guido
Novello da Polenta。
v。 41。 A lady。＇ Most of the commentators suppose； that by this lady；
who in the last Canto is called Matilda； is to be understood the Countess
Matilda； who endowed the holy see with the estates called the Patrimony
of St。 Peter； and died in 1115。 See G。 Villani； 1。 iv。 e。 20 But it seems more
probable that she should be intended for an allegorical personage。
v。 80。 Thou； Lord hast made me glad。＇ Psalm xcii。 4
v。 146。 On the Parnassian mountain。＇ In bicipiti somniasse Parnasso。
Persius Prol。
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Canto XXIX
v。 76。 Listed colours。＇ Di sette liste tutte in quel colori； &c。 a bow
Conspicuous with three listed colours gay。 Milton； P。 L。 b。 xi。 865。
v。 79。 Ten paces。＇ For an explanation of the allegorical meaning of
this mysterious procession； Venturi refers those 〃who would see in the
dark〃 to the commentaries of Landino； Vellutello； and others： and adds
that it is evident the Poet has accommodated to his own fancy many sacred
images in the Apocalypse。 In Vasari's Life of Giotto； we learn that Dante
recommended that book to his friend； as affording fit subjects for his
pencil。
v。 89。 Four。＇ The four evangelists。
v。 96。 Ezekiel。＇ Chap。 1。 4。
v。 101。 John。＇ Rev。 c。 iv。 8。
v。 104。 Gryphon。＇ Under the Gryphon； an imaginary creature； the
forepart of which is an eagle； and the hinder a lion； is shadowed forth the
union of the divine and human nature in Jesus Christ。 The car is the
church。
v。 115。 Tellus' prayer。＇ Ovid； Met。 1。 ii。 v。 279。
v。 116。 'Three nymphs。＇ The three evangelical virtues： the first
Charity； the next Hope； and the third Faith。 Faith may be produced by
charity； or charity by faith； but the inducements to hope must arise either
from one or other of these。
v。 125。 A band quaternion。＇ The four moral or cardinal virtues； of
whom Prudence directs the others。
v。 129。 Two old men。＇ Saint Luke； characterized as the writer of the
Arts of the Apostles and Saint Paul。
v。 133。 Of the great Coan。＇ Hippocrates； 〃whom nature made for
the benefit of her favourite creature； man。〃
v。 138。 Four others。＇ 〃The commentators；〃 says Venturi； 〃suppose
these four to be the four evangelists； but I should rather take them to be
four principal doctors of the church。〃 Yet both Landino and Vellutello
expressly call them the authors of the epistles； James； Peter； John and
Jude。
v。 140。 One single old man。＇ As some say； St。 John； under his
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character of the author of the Apocalypse。 But in the poem attributed to
Giacopo； the son of our Poet； which in some MSS； accompanies the
original of this work； and is descriptive of its plan； this old man is said to
be Moses。
E'l vecchio； ch' era dietro a tutti loro Fu Moyse。
And the old man； who was behind them all； Was Moses。 See No。 3459
of the Harl。 MSS。 in the British Museum。
Canto XXX
v。 1。 The polar light。＇ The seven candlesticks。
v。 12。 Come。＇ Song of Solomon； c。 iv。 8。
v。 19。 Blessed。＇ Matt。 c。 xxi。 9。
v。 20。 From full hands。＇ Virg。 Aen 1。 vi。 884。
v。 97。 The old flame。＇ Agnosco veteris vestigia flammae Virg。 Aen。
I。 I。 23。
Conosco i segni dell' antico fuoco。 Giusto de' Conti； La Bella Mano。
v。 61。 Nor。＇ 〃Not