studiano, ma per acquistar moneta o dignità. . . . Siccome qui si può dire che 'l vero filosofo ciascuna parte della sapienza ama, e la sapienza ciascuna parte del filosofo, in quanto tutto a sè lo reduce, e nullo suo pensiero ad altre cose lascia distendere." 1 It is interesting to compare with this his contemporary John Villani's account of him, as showing to how great an extent, in the eyes of his associates, Dante expressed his ideal in himself. "This was a great and learned person," writes Villani, "in almost every science, though a layman; he was a consummate poet and philosopher and rhetorician; as perfect in prose and verse as he was in public speaking; a most noble orator; in rhyming excellent, with the most polished and beautiful style that ever appeared in our language up to his time or since." He had a wide acquaintance with the classics. Already in the "Vita Nuova," he quotes from Virgil, Lucan, Ovid, and Horace, and twice refers to Aristotle.* The passage just referred to from the "Vita Nuova," 5 in which he states formally some of his views on poetic form, and makes his maiden attempt at literary criticism, is in striking contrast with the description of the meeting of the same noble poets in the Limbo, and enables us to mark his growth in the years intervening between their composition. 1 Convito, Tr. iii. c. xi. 2 Villani, ix. c. 136: Tr. in Napier's Florentine History, i. c. xvi. 8 An example of this is the number of similes Dante derived from clas sical myths and subjects: vid. Inferno, xxx. 22; Purgatorio, ix. 34, 136; xviii. 91; xxiii. 26; xxvi. 94; xxviii. 64; Paradiso, i. 67; xii. 12; xvii. 1, 47; xxi 6. 4 V. N. xxv. The frequent quotations from these classical writers and references to them in the "Commedia" are too well known to require minute reference The same may be said of the quotations from the Bible and the indirect allusions to it with which his writings are replete. 5 V. N. xxv. 6 His praise of Guido Guinicelli (Purgatorio, xxvi. 94) is evidence of his keen critical sense. 7 Inferno, iv. His formal treatment of the subject in the earlier passage is of great interest, as compared with that freedom in the world of poetry to which he had attained when the "Divina Commedia" was written. The advance of the general literary sense in Florence may partly account for this development in Dante, though he and the times so acted and reacted upon each other that it is difficult to say whether it was not his own literary growth that gave the impulse to his towns men. Even more than the home of letters, however, was Florence the home of art; and Dante's mind was as open to the influence of artistic beauty as to that of literature. Perhaps one of the most charming pictures of the "Vita Nuova" is that painted for us by his own simple words: "In quel giorno, nel quale si compiva l'anno che questa donna era fatta de' cittadini di vita eterna, io mi sedea in parte nella quale ricordandomi di lei disegnava un Angelo sopra certe tavolette." It is a memorable scene, the artist so absorbed in the labor of love prompted by his pure imagination, the men "to whom it was meet to do honor," who have been watching unperceived the work as it grows under his fingers, the quick courtesy 2 with which he salutes them as he becomes aware of their presence, being, as Boccaccio states, of "wonderfully composed and polished bearing," the calmness with which he apologizes for his abstraction: "Altri era testè meco e perciò pensava,' "3 and then, when those who had interrupted him took their leave, the return of the poet to his work: "Onde partiti costoro, ritornaimi alla mia opera, cioè del disegnare figure d'Angeli.” 4 1 V. N. xxxv. 2 Convito, Tr. iv. c. xxvi. . . . a ciascun età sia bello l'essere di cortesi costumi. 3 Perhaps this bears out Villani's characterization of his manner as "a little haughty, shy, and disdainful." ix. cap. 136. 4 V. N. 1. c. "You and I would rather see that angel Painted by the tenderness of Dante, Would we not? — than read a fresh Inferno?" The comparison between this angel and that sculptured on the wall of Purgatory is irresistible. "L'angel che venne in terra col decreto Che aperse il ciel dal suo lungo divieto, Quivi intagliato in un atto soave, Che non sembiava imagine che tace. The images of Humility sculptured all along the wall of the First Circle of Purgatory, the delight of contemplating which Dante acknowledges; the images of Pride on the pavement which the sinners through Pride creeping along beneath heavy weights are forced to gaze upon, he describes with the appreciation of an artist. "Qual di pennel fu maestro, o di stile, Che ritraesse l' ombre e i tratti ch' ivi Morti li morti, e i vivi parean vivi. Non vide me' di me chi vide il vero, Quant' io calcai fin che chinato givi.” 2 Besides these instances there is a revelation of the artist. within the poet in the coloring of the triple stairs leading to the first terrace of Purgatory,3 and above all in the marvellous use of color that distinguishes the description of the triumph of the church.4 Brought up as he was amid the gay Florentine dances and songs, Dante would have been no true son of Florence had 4 Ib. xxix. See also Ib. xi. 79 for Dante's interest in art. 8 Ib. ix. 94. he been deaf to the "concord of sweet sounds," and it is no exaggeration to say that music, far from being a mere passing diversion for him, was a life-long passion. In the "Convito" he says: "Ancora la Musica trae a sè gli spiriti umani, che sono quasi principalmente vapori del cuore, sicchè quasi cessano da ogni operazione; si è l'anima intera quando l'ode, e la virtù di tutti quasi corre allo spirito sensibile che riceve il suono." Whether the "sweet harmony" with which the youth in whitest raiment bade him adorn his confession of love to Beatrice, refers to the structure of his ballad or to its accompaniment, we certainly have an indication of his susceptibility to music in the vision of the death of Beatrice. When he tells of the angels that he saw returning to heaven bearing before them a little cloud of exceeding whiteness, he stops to say: "A me parea che questi Angeli cantassero gloriosamente, e le parole del loro canto mi parea che fossero queste: Osanna in excelsis; ed altro non mi parea udire." The Hosannas of angels were a favorite theme for his imagination to dwell upon. To his fancy the angels are singing Hosannas while they do the will of God in heaven. "Come del suo voler gli angeli tuoi Fan sacrificio a te, cantando Osanna, In the Third Heaven "the lights divine" move toward him as he stands beside Beatrice. "E dentro a quei che più innanzi appariro Sonava Osanna sì, che unque poi Di riudir non fui senza disiro." 5 When he met Casella "whom he woo'd to sing," it is noticeable that he asked for song as his consolation: 1 Convito, Tr. ii. c. xiv. 2 V. N. xii. 3 Ib. xxiii. 4 Purgatorio, xi. 10. Paradiso, viii. 28; vid. also Purgatorio, xxix. 51; Paradiso, vii. i. "Se nuova legge non ti toglie Ch' eran con lui, parevan sì contenti, Come a nessun toccasse altro la mente."1 The souls of kings in the ante-Purgatory sing the Salve regina, and then join in the Complines' hymn: "Te lucis ante sì devotamente Le uscì di bocca, e con sì dolci note, Che fece me a me uscir di mente. E l'altre poi dolcemente e devote Avendo gli occhi alle superne ruote." 2 In the passage of Lethe, "Quando fui presso alla beata riva, and again at the hymn sung by the glorious host after the blossoming of the mystic tree: It is a song that encourages him as he enters the Third Circle of Purgatory; the songs of the little birds are one of 1 Purgatorio, ii. 106. 5 2 Ib. viii. 13. For Dante's appreciation of harmony, vid. Ib. xvi. 20. 3 Purgatorio, xxxi. 97. 4 Ib. xxxii. 61. 5 Purgatorio, xv. 38. |