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river Arno took place, but the crowd was so great that the bridge 
broke down and one of the writers said ‘‘ They came to see the 
other world second hand, and they had an opportunity of seeing 
it first hand,” (laughter). Dante was a true Catholic and though 
he had great respect for the Popes as the successors of St. Peter, 
he drew a distinction between the individual and the office, and 
was very severe on some Popes, especially on Boniface, who had 
no doubt a great deal to do with Dante’s banishment. 
FAMOUS ITALIAN ART SHRINES. 
By THOMAS PRESTON. 9th February, 1904. 
England is not Italy ; that is the land for the contemplation 
and study of the wonder-working Arts. There is, therefore, 
surely no apology needed to view its landscape o’er, to penetrate 
into its sacred and palatial palaces, to ruminate within its 
decorated shrines and hallowed cloisters, and to stand in lowly 
reverence beside the tombs of those gifted men whom artists 
proclaim worthy to be called divine. To those lesser lights who, 
according to their opportunity, worthily kept alive the sacred fire 
in our own country and Ireland, we render homage. We are, 
indeed, proud to recall the great service they did in their day and 
generation, and to recognise fully the part they took in the 
Gothic, the Medieval, and the High Renaissance movement. 
But it is to Italy—and Italy alone—we must turn for a wealth of 
the finest Art work. In that real home of the Renaissance, the 
decorator is inseparably connected with the painters of high 
renown, and the combination of all the Arts under one directing 
mind is more in evidence there than in any other country. 
