Epitome of the Progress of Natural Science. 201 



any language. Dante, who had already raised Italian poetry 

 from its feebleness, but who, in compositions which have barely 

 survived him, had sought reputation through the Latin language; 

 now reached the heights of fame, through one of the dialects of 

 the vulgar tongue of Italy, whilst it was yet unformed, and with 

 which he has invested with so much force, grace, and truth, 

 every thing that is horrible and every thing that is beautiful. 

 His factious countrymen the Florentines, after razing his house 

 to the ground, confiscating his property, and leaving him to 

 die, A. D. 1321, under a foreign government, instituted in 1373 

 a professorship at the expense of the state, to lecture upon, and 

 expound this poem. 



In one particular, the Divina Commedia gives Dante prece- 

 dence over all poets, for it is the apotheosis of the woman he so 

 deeply loved ; every part of it bears testimony that it was she 

 who inspired him, and that she was present to his imagination 

 from the beginning to the end of his sublime production. It is 

 impossible to read all the evidences of his attachment to Beatrice, 

 which began at the very early age of nine years, without being 

 deeply affected with the tenderness and truth of which so great 

 a mind was capable, and which honour human nature so much. 

 The ruin which had fallen upon the fortunes of Dante, was a 

 consequence of the factions which, at this time, raged in every 

 independent state of Italy. The independence of the northern 

 cities, was, in many instances, only the prelude to civil wars. 

 Their liberties were generally intrusted to some principal citizen, 

 and who having tasted the sweets of power, often sought to per- 

 petuate the possession of them. Thus every city nourished two 

 factions, which, ranging themselves, subsequently, in the interests 

 of the German emperors and the popes, took the designations of 

 Ghibellines and Guelphs, from two rival German houses, the 

 popes being the protectors of these last. 



This rivalry amongst the cities, which was fostered by the un- 

 settled limitations of territory, was highly favourable to the useful 

 and ornamental arts, through the ostentatious manner in which 

 it sought to exhibit itself Each city strove to outdo the other in 

 the extent and magnificence of its public buildings ; the citizens, 

 too, partook of this spirit of emulation, and vied with each other 

 in the grandeur of their palaces. At this moment nothing strikes 

 the traveller in Italy more than the unusual number of extensive 



Voi,. 1.-20 



