And so it was,-that, poor and hungry, thou
Enter'dst the field to cultivate that tree

Erst a rich vine-a stock unfruitful now." This ended-sounded through the lofty sphere, "O God we offer praises unto Thee,"

In tones well worthy of an Angel's ear.

109

And that great Chieftain, who from bough to bough 115 Had drawn me on, as he examined me,

Till the last leaves we had arrived at, now

Began again : "That Grace, whose converse sweet

Informs thy mind, hath well instructed thee,

And so far furnish'd thee with utterance meet,

That I approve of what thou hast disclosed:
But now behoves thee thy belief declare,
And by what means it was to thee proposed."

"O sacred Sire, O Spirit, who dost ken

The faith which bore thee to the sepulchre,
Outstripping younger feet," began I then,-

"You wish me to explain the mode whereby
This faith so rapidly within me strove;
And also wherein lay its energy.

I answer, I believe in one God,-sole

Eternal-who, unmoved Himself, doth move
The universe by Love's supreme controul.

121

127

"Proofs physical, and metaphysical

Not only have I; but through Moses, and

The Prophets, and the Gospel, and through all

133

The Psalms, and through your works, to which was given

A holy influence,-I understand

The truth which floweth down to earth from heaven.

And in Three Persons is my faith confest

An Essence so conjoin'd, and yet so trine,
They equally admit of sunt and est.

And what the evangelic Books reveal

Of this profound and blissful state divine,

Hath on my heart impress'd its truthful seal.

139

This is the source, this is the spark, which spreads 145 To vivid flame; and, like a star in heaven,

With splendour dight, o'er me effulgence sheds."

E'en as a master, from a servant hearing

Tidings that please-as soon as they are given,

His arms around him casts;-such kindly bearing

Was by the Apostolic Light express'd;

Who, soon as my confessions he had heard,

Thrice, chanting loud, encircled me, and bless'd;

Such was the pleasure that my speech conferr'd.

151

NOTES.

Page 225. (Line 1.) Beatrice speaks, addressing the elect, and interceding for Dante. The banquet is that mentioned in the Revelations, xix. 9. "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb."

Page 226. (Line 17.) Thus, canto iv. 35, the Spirits were said to “taste the sweet existence diversely;" and, viii. 20, to "circle with more or less celerity," in proportion to the grace they had severally received. (28.) St. Peter answers Beatrice, his sister in glory.

Page 227. (Line 46.) "The bachelor, or disputant in the schools, arms or prepares himself to discuss the question proposed by the master, whose office it is to close it."—Vellutello. The master pledges himself that the thing is true, and that he will prove it, if the bachelor fails.

Page 228. (Line 62.) St. Paul is here spoken of as the brother of St. Peter; and his words adopted-" Now faith is the substance," &c. Heb. xi. 1.

Page 229. (Line 85.) i.e. Have you this faith in your heart."-Venturi. (96.) "There are such powerful evidences of the truth of the doctrines of Christ by the effectual workings of the spirit of Gòd upon their souls, that all other arguments as to their own satisfaction may fall short of these. As to which, those verses of the poet Dante are very pertinent and significant," &c.—Stillingfleet. Orig. Sac. b. ii. c. 9. (100.) i.e. Miracles-in which Nature has no part. (106.) "We cannot conceive how the world should be at first induced to believe without manifest and uncontrolled miracles: for as St.

Chrysostom speaks, εἰ σημειών χωρὶς ἔπεισαν, πολλῷ μεῖζον το Davμa palvetaι. It were the greatest miracle of all, if the world should believe without miracles;' which the poet Dante hath well expressed in the twenty-fourth canto of Paradise." Stillingfleet. Orig. Sac. b. ii. c. x. sect. 5.

Page 230. (Line 115.) "Il gran Barone," i.e. St. Peter.The same title is applied to St. James in the next canto. (126.)

St. John arrived first at the sepulchre, but St. Peter was the first to look in, which Dante considers a proof of greater faith. "Dicit enim Johannes ipsum," i.e. Petrum," introivisse subito, cum venit in monumentum, videns alium discipulum cunctantem ad ostium."-Dante. De Monarchia. b. iii.

Page 231. (Line 141.) i.e. Of singular and plural. (153.) This heavenly benediction of the Poet by St. Peter, immediately precedes his designation of his work as a "Sacred Poem," at the opening of the ensuing canto; and at the twelfth line this act of St. Peter is again mentioned as being an acknowledgment of his faith.

CANTO XXV.

ARGUMENT.

DANTE expresses a hope that his poem may be the means of restoring him with honour to his country. St. James examines him concerning Hope. St. John appears.

SHOULD it befal that e'er the Sacred lay,

To which have lent their aid both Heaven and Earth,— While year by year my body pined away

O'ercome the cruelty that is my bar

From the fair fold where I, a Lamb, had birth,

1

Foe to the ravening Wolves its peace who mar;

7

With other voice, with other fleece shall I
Poet return; and at that shrine be crown'd
Which my baptismal fountain did supply:

For there I enter'd on the faith, whose vow
Proclaims the souls to God's high service bound;
Hence Peter waved his hands around my brow.