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Reformation； and Wordsworth by the French Revolution？ Poets often
avoid political transactions； they often affect to despise them。 But；
whether they perceive it or not； they must be influenced by them。 As
long as their minds have any point of contact with those of their fellow…
men； the electric impulse； at whatever distance it may originate； will be
circuitously communicated to them。
This will be the case even in large societies； where the division of
labour enables many speculative men to observe the face of nature； or to
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analyse their own minds； at a distance from the seat of political
transactions。 In the little republic of which Dante was a member the state
of things was very different。 These small communities are most
unmercifully abused by most of our modern professors of the science of
government。 In such states； they tell us； factions are always most violent：
where both parties are cooped up within a narrow space； political
difference necessarily produces personal malignity。 Every man must be a
soldier； every moment may produce a war。 No citizen can lie down
secure that he shall not be roused by the alarum…bell； to repel or avenge an
injury。 In such petty quarrels Greece squandered the blood which might
have purchased for her the permanent empire of the world； and Italy
wasted the energy and the abilities which would have enabled her to
defend her independence against the Pontiffs and the Caesars。
All this is true： yet there is still a compensation。 Mankind has not
derived so much benefit from the empire of Rome as from the city of
Athens； nor from the kingdom of France as from the city of Florence。
The violence of party feeling may be an evil； but it calls forth that activity
of mind which in some states of society it is desirable to produce at any
expense。 Universal soldiership may be an evil； but where every man is a
soldier there will be no standing army。 And is it no evil that one man in
every fifty should be bred to the trade of slaughter； should live only by
destroying and by exposing himself to be destroyed； should fight without
enthusiasm and conquer without glory； be sent to a hospital when
wounded； and rot on a dunghill when old？ Such； over more than two…
thirds of Europe； is the fate of soldiers。 It was something that the citizen
of Milan or Florence fought； not merely in the vague and rhetorical sense
in which the words are often used； but in sober truth； for his parents； his
children； his lands； his house； his altars。 It was something that he
marched forth to battle beneath the Carroccio； which had been the object
of his childish veneration： that his aged father looked down from the
battlements on his exploits； that his friends and his rivals were the
witnesses of his glory。 If he fell； he was consigned to no venal or
heedless guardians。 The same day saw him conveyed within the walls
which he had defended。 His wounds were dressed by his mother； his
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confession was whispered to the friendly priest who had heard and
absolved the follies of his youth； his last sigh was breathed upon the lips
of the lady of his love。 Surely there is no sword like that which is beaten
out of a ploughshare。 Surely this state of things was not unmixedly bad；
its evils were alleviated by enthusiasm and by tenderness； and it will at
least be acknowledged that it was well fitted to nurse poetical genius in an
imaginative and observant mind。
Nor did the religious spirit of the age tend less to this result than its
political circumstances。 Fanaticism is an evil； but it is not the greatest of
evils。 It is good that a people should be roused by any means from a
state of utter torpor；that their minds should be diverted from objects
merely sensual； to meditations； however erroneous； on the mysteries of the
moral and intellectual world； and from interests which are immediately
selfish to those which relate to the past； the future； and the remote。 These
effects have sometimes been produced by the worst superstitions that ever
existed； but the Catholic religion； even in the time of its utmost
extravagance and atrocity； never wholly lost the spirit of the Great Teacher；
whose precepts form the noblest code； as His conduct furnished the purest
example； of moral excellence。 It is of all religions the most poetical。
The ancient superstitions furnished the fancy with beautiful images； but
took no hold on the heart。 The doctrines of the Reformed Churches have
most powerfully influenced the feelings and the conduct of men； but have
not presented them with visions of sensible beauty and grandeur。 The
Roman Catholic Church has united to the awful doctrines of the one that
Mr Coleridge calls the 〃fair humanities〃 of the other。 It has enriched
sculpture and painting with the loveliest and most majestic forms。 To the
Phidian Jupiter it can oppose the Moses of Michael Angelo； and to the
voluptuous beauty of the Queen of Cyprus； the serene and pensive
loveliness of the Virgin Mother。 The legends of its martyrs and its saints
may vie in ingenuity and interest with the mythological fables of Greece；
its ceremonies and processions were the delight of the vulgar； the huge
fabric of secular power with which it was connected attracted the
admiration of the statesman。 At the same time； it never lost sight of the
most solemn and tremendous doctrines of Christianity；the incarnate
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God；the judgment；the retribution；the eternity of happiness or torment。
Thus； while； like the ancient religions； it received incalculable support
from policy and ceremony； it never wholly became； like those religions； a
merely political and ceremonial institution。
The beginning of the thirteenth century was； as Machiavelli has
remarked； the era of a great revival of this extraordinary system。 The
policy of Innocent；the growth of the Inquisition and the mendicant
orders；the wars against the Albigenses； the Pagans of the East； and the
unfortunate princes of the house of Swabia； agitated Italy during the two
following generations。 In this point Dante was completely under the
influence of his age。 He was a man of a turbid and melancholy spirit。 In
early youth he had entertained a strong and unfortunate passion； which；
long after the death of her whom he loved； continued to haunt him。
Dissipation； ambition； misfortunes had not effaced it。 He was not only a
sincere； but a passionate； believer。 The crimes and abuses of the Church
of Rome were indeed loathsome to him； but to all its doctrines and all its
rites he adhered with enthusiastic fondness and veneration； and； at length；
driven from his native country； reduced to a situation the most painful to a
man of his disposition； condemned to learn by experience that no food is
so bitter as the bread of dependence （〃Tu proverai si come sa di sale Lo
pane altrui； e come e duro calle Lo scendere e'l sa'ir per l'altrui scale。〃
Paradiso； canto xvii。）；
and no ascent so painful as the staircase of a patron；his wounded
spirit took refuge in visionary devotion。 Beatrice； the unforgotten object
of his early tenderness； was invested by his