Rhodope, Phyllis ;-Iole's lover, Hercules. (107.) The reading" affetto" is adopted in preference to that of "effetto.' See Cesari. Bellezze di Dante.

Page 88. (Line 118.) Of Rahab, see Joshua, cap. ii. and Hebrews, ix. 31. "Though all the inhabitants of Jericho were alarmed at the approach of Joshua, this woman alone turned her sense of its imminent danger to any good account; she believed what had been told her as to the former history of the Israelites; and she reasoned sensibly, and acted promptly upon her belief."-Scripture History. By the Hon. and very Rev. Henry E. J. Howard, D.D., Dean of Lichfield. (119) According to Ptolemy, the shadow of the earth ends in the planet Venus. The triumph of Christ is that achieved over Satan when he visited the spirits in Limbo. See Inf. iv. 53, and note. (126.) i. e. The Pope forgets it is in the hands of the Saracens. Florence is called the "plant" of Satan ;-and Envy was most rife there. See Inf. xv. 68. (130.) The floren was the gold coin in use at Florence, which the Pope so coveted that he became a very wolf.

Page 89. (Line 134.) The Decretals were books of ecclesiastical law, in which Boniface was well versed, and their margins well worn. (139.) The liberation looked forward to is supposed by Landino to allude to the death of Boniface,by Venturi, to the arrival of Henry of Luxemburg,-by Lombardi, to the removal of the Holy See to Avignon. (141.) "St. Peter's faithful host," means the blessed army of martyrs. (142.) Boniface is so called from his simoniacal practices. See Inf. xix. 53, and note.

CANTO X.

ARGUMENT.

ASCENT to the Sun, or fourth heaven. Dante is encompassed by a wreath of spirits. Thomas Aquinas, one of these, declares the names of the rest.

VIEWING his offspring with that fervent Love
Which ever from the Sire and Son proceeds,

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The First Great Cause of all below-above-
Hath in such perfect order wrought the whole,
That he who contemplates these wonders, needs
Must feel the Godhead thrill his inmost soul.
Raise then thine eyes, O reader, following mine,
Up to the lofty wheels, that I may show
Where the two motions, link'd in one, combine;

And then become enamour'd of the art

Of the Great Master, who admires it so-

His eyes, delighted, never thence depart.

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CANTO IV.

ARGUMENT.

BEATRICE explains Dante's doubts as to the reason why so lov a place is assigned to the Saints he finds in the Moon ;-via that they had not strictly adhered to their vows.

BETWEEN two viands equidistant placed,
And tempting equally, a man might die
Of hunger, ere determin'd which to taste:
So might a lamb between the cravings stand
Of two fierce wolves, and fear them equally;
So might a dog--a kid on either hand.
Wherefore, forsooth, I neither praise nor blame
Take to myself, if, urged by equal doubt,
Silent I of necessity became.

I spake not-but my face a wish portray'd;
And with more force than had I spoken out,
That wish to speak was by my look convey'd.

And een as Daniel did of old, when he
Allay'd the wrath of the Chaldean king
Which prompted him to unjust cruelty;
So Beatrice I see thou art posses
By two desires, which into bondage bring
Each other, so that neither is expres
You argue a righteous will re
Why should the violence by others wrought
Curtail the measure of fleet-Agin

See how the Zodiac is extended thence,

Whereon are borne the planets, that they may
Supply the earth, which asks their influence:
And did they not through heaven obliquely run,
Much starry virtue would be thrown away,
And many a motive
power on earth undone.
And were or more or less the obliquity,

Greatly defective would that order be

Which reigns below, and in the realms on high.
And now, O reader, on thy bench recline,
Pondering the feast that is prepared for thee;
So will delight, not weariness, be thine.
Feed now;-before thee have I placed the fare;
For that which I have task'd myself to write,
Demands from me my undivided care.

Nature's great Minister, (whose ray sublime

Imprints the world below with heav'n's own might,
And regulating all things measures time,)
Entering the sign that has been named before,
Amid these spires his circling journey ran,

In which each day he advances more and more:
And I was with him; nor perceiv'd I ought
Of my increas'd ascent, more than a man
Perceives, ere it arise, his primal thought.

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