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seems to have affected his mind； as it did that of Swift。 Nauseous and
revolting images seem to have had a fascination for his mind； and he
repeatedly places before his readers； with all the energy of his
incomparable style； the most loathsome objects of the sewer and the
dissecting…room。
There is another peculiarity in the poem of Dante； which； I think；
deserves notice。 Ancient mythology has hardly ever been successfully
interwoven with modern poetry。 One class of writers have introduced the
fabulous deities merely as allegorical representatives of love； wine； or
wisdom。 This necessarily renders their works tame and cold。 We may
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sometimes admire their ingenuity； but with what interest can we read of
beings of whose personal existence the writer does not suffer us to
entertain； for a moment； even a conventional belief？ Even Spenser's
allegory is scarcely tolerable； till we contrive to forget that Una signifies
innocence； and consider her merely as an oppressed lady under the
protection of a generous knight。
Those writers who have； more judiciously； attempted to preserve the
personality of the classical divinities have failed from a different cause。
They have been imitators； and imitators at a disadvantage。 Euripides and
Catullus believed in Bacchus and Cybele as little as we do。 But they
lived among men who did。 Their imaginations； if not their opinions； took
the colour of the age。 Hence the glorious inspiration of the Bacchae and
the Atys。 Our minds are formed by circumstances： and I do not believe
that it would be in the power of the greatest modern poet to lash himself
up to a degree of enthusiasm adequate to the production of such works。
Dante； alone among the poets of later times； has been； in this respect；
neither an allegorist nor an imitator； and； consequently； he alone has
introduced the ancient fictions with effect。 His Minos； his Charon； his
Pluto； are absolutely terrific。 Nothing can be more beautiful or original
than the use which he has made of the River of Lethe。 He has never
assigned to his mythological characters any functions inconsistent with the
creed of the Catholic Church。 He has related nothing concerning them
which a good Christian of that age might not believe possible。 On this
account there is nothing in these passages that appears puerile or pedantic。
On the contrary； this singular use of classical names suggests to the mind a
vague and awful idea of some mysterious revelation； anterior to all
recorded history； of which the dispersed fragments might have been
retained amidst the impostures and superstitions of later religions。
Indeed the mythology of the Divine Comedy is of the elder and more
colossal mould。 It breathes the spirit of Homer and Aeschylus； not of
Ovid and Claudian。
This is the more extraordinary； since Dante seems to have been utterly
ignorant of the Greek language； and his favourite Latin models could only
have served to mislead him。 Indeed； it is impossible not to remark his
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admiration of writers far inferior to himself； and； in particular； his idolatry
of Virgil； who； elegant and splendid as he is； has no pretensions to the
depth and originality of mind which characterise his Tuscan worshipper； In
truth it may be laid down as an almost universal rule that good poets are
bad critics。 Their minds are under the tyranny of ten thousand
associations imperceptible to others。 The worst writer may easily happen
to touch a spring which is connected in their minds with a long succession
of beautiful images。 They are like the gigantic slaves of Aladdin； gifted
with matchless power； but bound by spells so mighty that when a child
whom they could have crushed touched a talisman； of whose secret he was
ignorant； they immediately became his vassals。 It has more than once
happened to me to see minds； graceful and majestic as the Titania of
Shakspeare； bewitched by the charms of an ass's head； bestowing on it the
fondest caresses； and crowning it with the sweetest flowers。 I need only
mention the poems attributed to Ossian。 They are utterly worthless；
except as an edifying instance of the success of a story without evidence；
and of a book without merit。 They are a chaos of words which present no
image； of images which have no archetype：they are without form and
void； and darkness is upon the face of them。 Yet how many men of
genius have panegyrised and imitated them！
The style of Dante is； if not his highest； perhaps his most peculiar
excellence。 I know nothing with which it can be compared。 The
noblest models of Greek composition must yield to it。 His words are the
fewest and the best which it is possible to use。 The first expression in
which he clothes his thoughts is always so energetic and comprehensive
that amplification would only injure the effect。 There is probably no
writer in any language who has presented so many strong pictures to the
mind。 Yet there is probably no writer equally concise。 This perfection of
style is the principal merit of the Paradiso； which； as I have already
remarked； is by no means equal in other respects to the two preceding
parts of the poem。 The force and felicity of the diction； however；
irresistibly attract the reader through the theological lectures and the
sketches of ecclesiastical biography； with which this division of the work
too much abounds。 It may seem almost absurd to quote particular
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specimens of an excellence which is diffused over all his hundred cantos。
I will； however； instance the third canto of the Inferno； and the sixth of the
Purgatorio； as passages incomparable in their kind。 The merit of the latter
is； perhaps； rather oratorical than poetical； nor can I recollect anything in
the great Athenian speeches which equals it in force of invective and
bitterness of sarcasm。 I have heard the most eloquent statesman of the
age remark that； next to Demosthenes； Dante is the writer who ought to be
most attentively studied by every man who desires to attain oratorical
eminence。
But it is time to close this feeble and rambling critique。 I cannot
refrain； however； from saying a few words upon the translations of the
Divine Comedy。 Boyd's is as tedious and languid as the original is rapid
and forcible。 The strange measure which he has chosen； and； for aught I
know； invented； is most unfit for such a work。 Translations ought never
to be written in a verse which requires much command of rhyme。 The
stanza becomes a bed of Procrustes； and the thoughts of the unfortunate
author are alternately racked and curtailed to fit their new receptacle。
The abrupt and yet consecutive style of Dante suffers more than that of
any other poet by a version diffuse in style； and divided into paragraphs；
for they deserve no other name； of equal length。
Nothing can be said in favour of Hayley's attempt； but that it is better
than Boyd's。 His mind was a tolerable specimen of filigree work；rather
elegant； and very feeble。 All that can be said for his best works is that
they are neat。 All that can be said against his worst is that they are st