God, who is the final end and resting place of the intellect." Ottimo Commento.

Page 267. (Line 109.) "Hence Dante proceeds to solve the scholastic question, In quo consistit beatitudo formalis; an in visione an in amore?"—Lombardi. The love of God, he says, follows, does not precede, the knowledge of Him, according to the Scripture: "He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Heb. xi. 6. "We love Him, because He first loved us." 1 John iv. 19. (115.) Where the bloom of spring is not blighted, as on earth, in Autumn, when Aries rises at sunset. (121.) "From hence we mount aloft unto the sky

And look into the crystal firmament;

There we behold the heaven's great Hierarchy,

The star's pure light, and sphere's swift movement,
The spirits and Intelligences fair,

And Angels waiting on the Almighty's chair."

Spencer. Tears of the Muses.

Urania.

(130.) See canto x. 115, and note. "About the end of the fourth century, there came forth a book under the name of Dionysius the Areopagite, the convert and disciple of St. Paul, Acts xvii. 34, entituled: 'Concerning the Celestial Hierarchy,' -wherein the Author speaks so sublimely, so punctually, with so much assurance of the things above, as if he had himself surveyed the heavenly mansions; and, as a learned man expresses it, taken an exact inventory of all that is there.... Afterwards the schoolmen and others of the Church of Rome, taking the book to be really his, whose name it bears, received all the groundless conjectures therein as very truths.— Bp. Bull. Serm. xi. 12,

CANTO XXIX.

ARGUMENT.

BEATRICE explains the object of God in creating the Angels and inferior beings-viz. that he delighted to multiply images of Himself. She reproves the clergy for speculating on abstruse questions, instead of spreading the Gospel; and bitterly inveighs against the Popes for their inventions of pardons and indulgences.

LONG as Latona's double progeny,

Surmounted by the Ram and by the Scales,

Facing each other horizontally,

1

Are evenly suspended in the air,—

And thus remain, until the balance fails;

Each parting for a different hemisphere;

So long-her visage painted by a smile,

In silence Beatrice was gazing on

The Point which overcame my sight erewhile.

She then began: "I speak, nor wait to hear
Thy wishes-they are on that mirror shown,
In which are present every when and where.-

7

Not goodly stores for His own use to improve,

Which cannot be-but thus His splendour might
Reflected say, 'I am'-the Eternal Love,

In His eternity, ere time began,

And unconfined by limits, took delight New combinations of His love to plan. Nor was it erst inert, as laid asleep;

Since there was no Before or After, ere The Holy Spirit moved upon this deep. Matter, and form, together join'd or no,

At one unerring act created were,

As start three arrows from a three-string'd bow.

And as the ray in amber, crystal, glass,

So swiftly beams, that to the sharpest eye
From first to last no interval may pass ;
So, in His triple work the beam was thrown
By the Almighty Sire most rapidly,
Without distinction in the process known.

13.

19

25

At the same time unto the Substances

31

Were ranks apportion'd; and since they are graced

With essence pure, of highest grade were these.

Pure power the lowest station was assign'd;
Matter and form were in the middle placed,

Conjoin'd by cords, which no one may unbind.

Long tract of ages intervened, (so taught
St. Jerome) after Angels were created,
Or ere the world was into being brought:

But the account I have inserted here,

In many a page of Scripture is related,
As, if thou search it closely, will appear.
Nor does it reasonable seem to be

That these prime Movers should so long exist
Bereft of their perfection.-Now have three
Of thy desires been laid to rest; since thou
Know'st where these loving Ones did erst subsist;
And when they were created first, and how.
Sooner than twenty might be counted, fell
One portion of the Angelic host, and brought
Confusion to the earth on which
ye dwell.
The rest remain'd, and did, you see, attain
Joy so extatic in the art they wrought,
They never from the circling dance refrain.

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43

49

The pride of him, whom thou hast seen with all

55

The burden of the universe opprest,

Was the dire cause of the unhappy fall.

Those thou beholdest here, with humble mind

Themselves the work of heavenly love confess'd,
And to their lofty office were assign'd.

S

Whence, through enlightening grace, and their own

Their ken was elevated to such height,

[merit, 61

That they a firm and ample will inherit.
And doubt not (but as truth my words believe)
That, so the heart be open, in God's sight
'Tis counted merit when we grace receive.
Now may this bright assembly be survey'd ;
Nor to inspection is there any bar :-
My words believed, you lack no other aid.
But in your schools since such is said to be
The nature of the Angels, that they are
Endued with reason, will, and memory;
More will I add, that thou the truth may'st see,
Which upon earth is so confounded by

Equivocations, and vain subtlety.

These Beings, since God's face was their delight,
(Where all things open and developed lie)
To ought beside ne'er turn away their sight;
Whence interrupted not is their clear view

By object fresh ;-their's no necessity
Transactions past by memory to renew.
Thus men on earth are dreaming, while awake,
Ignorant some-some lying knowingly;

And these of greater crime and shame partake.

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