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of his early tenderness； was invested by his imagination with glorious and
mysterious attributes； she was enthroned among the highest of the celestial
hierarchy： Almighty Wisdom had assigned to her the care of the sinful
and unhappy wanderer who had loved her with such a perfect love。
（〃L'amico mio； e non della ventura。〃 Inferno； canto ii。） By a confusion；
like that which often takes place in dreams； he has sometimes lost sight of
her human nature； and even of her personal existence； and seems to
consider her as one of the attributes of the Deity。
But those religious hopes which had released the mind of the sublime
enthusiast from the terrors of death had not rendered his speculations on
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human life more cheerful。 This is an inconsistency which may often be
observed in men of a similar temperament。 He hoped for happiness
beyond the grave： but he felt none on earth。 It is from this cause； more
than from any other； that his description of Heaven is so far inferior to the
Hell or the Purgatory。 With the passions and miseries of the suffering
spirits he feels a strong sympathy。 But among the beatified he appears as
one who has nothing in common with them；… …as one who is incapable of
comprehending； not only the degree； but the nature of their enjoyment。
We think that we see him standing amidst those smiling and radiant spirits
with that scowl of unutterable misery on his brow； and that curl of bitter
disdain on his lips； which all his portraits have preserved； and which might
furnish Chantrey with hints for the head of his projected Satan。
There is no poet whose intellectual and moral character are so closely
connected。 The great source； as it appears to me； of the power of the
Divine Comedy is the strong belief with which the story seems to be told。
In this respect； the only books which approach to its excellence are
Gulliver's Travels and Robinson Crusoe。 The solemnity of his
asseverations； the consistency and minuteness of his details； the
earnestness with which he labours to make the reader understand the exact
shape and size of everything that he describes； give an air of reality to his
wildest fictions。 I should only weaken this statement by quoting
instances of a feeling which pervades the whole work； and to which it
owes much of its fascination。 This is the real justification of the many
passages in his poem which bad critics have condemned as grotesque。 I
am concerned to see that Mr Cary； to whom Dante owes more than ever
poet owed to translator； has sanctioned an accusation utterly unworthy of
his abilities。 〃His solicitude；〃 says that gentleman； 〃to define all his
images in such a manner as to bring them within the circle of our vision；
and to subject them to the power of the pencil； renders him little better
than grotesque； where Milton has since taught us to expect sublimity。〃 It
is true that Dante has never shrunk from embodying his conceptions in
determinate words； that he has even given measures and numbers； where
Milton would have left his images to float undefined in a gorgeous haze of
language。 Both were right。 Milton did not profess to have been in
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heaven or hell。 He might therefore reasonably confine himself to
magnificent generalities。 Far different was the office of the lonely
traveller； who had wandered through the nations of the dead。 Had he
described the abode of the rejected spirits in language resembling the
splendid lines of the English Poet；had he told us of
〃An universe of death； which God by curse Created evil； for evil only
good； Where all life dies； death lives； and Nature breeds Perverse all
monstrous； all prodigious things； Abominable； unutterable； and worse
Than fables yet have feigned； or fear conceived； Gorgons； and hydras； and
chimaeras dire〃
this would doubtless have been noble writing。 But where would have
been that strong impression of reality； which； in accordance with his plan；
it should have been his great object to produce？ It was absolutely
necessary for him to delineate accurately 〃all monstrous； all prodigious
things；〃to utter what might to others appear 〃unutterable；〃to relate with
the air of truth what fables had never feigned；to embody what fear had
never conceived。 And I will frankly confess that the vague sublimity of
Milton affects me less than these reviled details of Dante。 We read
Milton； and we know that we are reading a great poet。 When we read
Dante； the poet vanishes。 We are listening to the man who has returned
from 〃the valley of the dolorous abyss；〃 （〃Lavalle d'abisso doloroso。〃
Inferno； cantoiv。）we seem to see the dilated eye of horror； to hear the
shuddering accents with which he tells his fearful tale。 Considered in
this light； the narratives are exactly what they should be；definite in
themselves； but suggesting to the mind ideas of awful and indefinite
wonder。 They are made up of the images of the earth：… …they are told in
the language of the earth。Yet the whole effect is； beyond expression； wild
and unearthly。 The fact is； that supernatural beings； as long as they are
considered merely with reference to their own nature； excite our feelings
very feebly。 It is when the great gulf which separates them from us is
passed； when we suspect some strange and undefinable relation between
the laws of the visible and the invisible world； that they rouse； perhaps； the
strongest emotions of which our nature is capable。 How many children；
and how many men； are afraid of ghosts； who are not afraid of God！ And
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this； because； though they entertain a much stronger conviction of the
existence of a Deity than of the reality of apparitions； they have no
apprehension that he will manifest himself to them in any sensible manner。
While this is the case； to describe superhuman beings in the language； and
to attribute to them the actions； of humanity may be grotesque；
unphilosophical； inconsistent； but it will be the only mode of working
upon the feelings of men； and； therefore； the only mode suited for poetry。
Shakspeare understood this well； as he understood everything that
belonged to his art。 Who does not sympathise with the rapture of Ariel；
flying after sunset on the wings of the bat； or sucking in the cups of
flowers with the bee？ Who does not shudder at the caldron of Macbeth？
Where is the philosopher who is not moved when he thinks of the strange
connection between the infernal spirits and 〃the sow's blood that hath
eaten her nine farrow？〃 But this difficult task of representing supernatural
beings to our minds； in a manner which shall be neither unintelligible to
our intellects nor wholly inconsistent with our ideas of their nature； has
never been so well performed as by Dante。 I will refer to three instances；
which are； perhaps； the most striking：… …the description of the
transformations of the serpents and the robbers； in the twenty…fifth canto
of the Inferno；the passage concerning Nimrod； in the thirty…first canto of
the same part； and the magnificent procession in the twenty…ninth canto
of the Purgatorio。
The metaphors and comparisons of Dante harmonise admirably with
that air of strong reality of which I have spoken。 They have a very