Europe。） 〃il n'est ni pur； ni correct； mais il est createur。〃 Considering the difficulties with which Dante had to struggle； we may perhaps be more inclined than the French critic to 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 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 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 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； 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 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