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allow him this praise。 Still it is by no means his highest or most peculiar
title to applause。 It is scarcely necessary to say that those qualities which
escaped the notice of the poet himself were not likely to attract the
attention of the commentators。 The fact is； that； while the public homage
was paid to some absurdities with which his works may be justly charged；
and to many more which were falsely imputed to them； while lecturers
were paid to expound and eulogise his physics； his metaphysics； his
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theology； all bad of their kindwhile annotators laboured to detect
allegorical meanings of which the author never dreamed； the great powers
of his imagination； and the incomparable force of his style； were neither
admired nor imitated。 Arimanes had prevailed。 The Divine Comedy
was to that age what St。 Paul's Cathedral was to Omai。 The poor
Otaheitean stared listlessly for a moment at the huge cupola； and ran into a
toyshop to play with beads。 Italy； too； was charmed with literary trinkets；
and played with them for four centuries。
From the time of Petrarch to the appearance of Alfieri's tragedies； we
may trace in almost every page of Italian literature the influence of those
celebrated sonnets which； from the nature both of their beauties and their
faults； were peculiarly unfit to be models for general imitation。 Almost
all the poets of that period； however different in the degree and quality of
their talents； are characterised by great exaggeration； and as a necessary
consequence； great coldness of sentiment； by a passion for frivolous and
tawdry ornament； and； above all； by an extreme feebleness and diffuseness
of style。 Tasso； Marino； Guarini； Metastasio； and a crowd of writers of
inferior merit and celebrity； were spell…bound in the enchanted gardens of
a gaudy and meretricious Alcina； who concealed debility and deformity
beneath the deceitful semblance of loveliness and health。 Ariosto； the
great Ariosto himself； like his own Ruggiero； stooped for a time to linger
amidst the magic flowers and fountains； and to caress the gay and painted
sorceress。 But to him； as to his own Ruggiero； had been given the
omnipotent ring and the winged courser； which bore him from the paradise
of deception to the regions of light and nature。
The evil of which I speak was not confined to the graver poets。 It
infected satire； comedy； burlesque。 No person can admire more than I do
the great masterpieces of wit and humour which Italy has produced。 Still
I cannot but discern and lament a great deficiency； which is common to
them all。 I find in them abundance of ingenuity； of droll naivete； of
profound and just reflection； of happy expression。 Manners； characters；
opinions； are treated with 〃a most learned spirit of human dealing。〃 But
something is still wanting。 We read； and we admire； and we yawn。 We
look in vain for the bacchanalian fury which inspired the comedy of
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Athens； for the fierce and withering scorn which animates the invectives
of Juvenal and Dryden； or even for the compact and pointed diction which
adds zest to the verses of Pope and Boileau。 There is no enthusiasm； no
energy； no condensation； nothing which springs from strong feeling；
nothing which tends to excite it。 Many fine thoughts and fine
expressions reward the toil of reading。 Still it is a toil。 The Secchia
Rapita； in some points the best poem of its kind； is painfully diffuse and
languid。 The Animali Parlanti of Casti is perfectly intolerable。 I admire
the dexterity of the plot； and the liberality of the opinions。 I admit that it
is impossible to turn to a page which does not contain something that
deserves to be remembered； but it is at least six times as long as it ought to
be。 And the garrulous feebleness of the style is a still greater fault than
the length of the work。
It may be thought that I have gone too far in attributing these evils to
the influence of the works and the fame of Petrarch。 It cannot； however；
be doubted that they have arisen； in a great measure； from a neglect of the
style of Dante。 This is not more proved by the decline of Italian poetry
than by its resuscitation。 After the lapse of four hundred and fifty years；
there appeared a man capable of appreciating and imitating the father of
Tuscan literatureVittorio Alfieri。 Like the prince in the nursery tale； he
sought and found the sleeping beauty within the recesses which had so
long concealed her from mankind。 The portal was indeed rusted by time；
the dust of ages had accumulated on the hangings；the furniture was of
antique fashion；and the gorgeous colour of the embroidery had faded。
But the living charms which were well worth all the rest remained in the
bloom of eternal youth； and well rewarded the bold adventurer who roused
them from their long slumber。 In every line of the Philip and the Saul；
the greatest poems； I think； of the eighteenth century； we may trace the
influence of that mighty genius which has immortalised the ill…starred love
of Francesca； and the paternal agonies of Ugolino。 Alfieri bequeathed
the sovereignty of Italian literature to the author of the Aristodemusa
man of genius scarcely inferior to his own； and a still more devoted
disciple of the great Florentine。 It must be acknowledged that this
eminent writer has sometimes pushed too far his idolatry of Dante。 To
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borrow a sprightly illustration from Sir John Denham； he has not only
imitated his garb； but borrowed his clothes。 He often quotes his phrases；
and he has； not very judiciously as it appears to me； imitated his
versification。 Nevertheless； he has displayed many of the higher
excellencies of his master； and his works may justly inspire us with a hope
that the Italian language will long flourish under a new literary dynasty； or
rather under the legitimate line； which has at length been restored to a
throne long occupied by specious usurpers。
The man to whom the literature of his country owes its origin and its
revival was born in times singularly adapted to call forth his extraordinary
powers。 Religious zeal； chivalrous love and honour； democratic liberty；
are the three most powerful principles that have ever influenced the
character of large masses of men。 Each of them singly has often excited
the greatest enthusiasm； and produced the most important changes。 In
the time of Dante all the three； often in amalgamation； generally in conflict；
agitated the public mind。 The preceding generation had witnessed the
wrongs and the revenge of the brave； the accomplished； the unfortunate
Emperor Frederic the Second；a poet in an age of schoolmen；a
philosopher in an age of monks； a statesman in an age of crusaders。
During the whole life of the poet； Italy was experiencing the consequences
of the memorable struggle which he had maintained against the Church。
The finest works of imagination have always been produced in times of
political convulsion； as the richest vineyards and the sweetest flowers
always grow on the soil which has been fertilised by the fiery deluge of a
volcano。 To look no further than the literary history of our own country；
can we doubt that Shakspeare was in a great measure produced by the
Reformation； and Wordsworth by the French Revolution？ Poets often
avoid political transactions；