And inasmuch as we must needs infer
From such belief our reasoning, all respect
To other view excluded; hence of proof
The intention is derived." Forthwith I heard:
"If thus, whate'er by learning men attain,
Were understood; the sophist would want room
To exercise his wit." So breathed the flame
Of love; then added: "Current is the coin
Thou utter'st, both in weight and in alloy.
But tell me, if thou hast it in thy purse."
"Even so glittering and so round," said I,
"I not a whit misdoubt of its assay."

Next issued from the deep-imbosom'd splendor:
Say, whence the costly jewel, on the which
Is founded every virtue, came to thee."

"The flood," I answer'd," from the Spirit of God Rain'd down upon the ancient bond and new,1

Here is the reasoning, that convinceth me

So feelingly, each argument beside

Seems blunt, and forceless, in comparison."

Then heard I: "Wherefore holdest thou that each, The elder proposition and the new,

Which so persuade thee, are the voice of heaven?" "The works, that follow'd, evidence their truth; Nature did not make for these

I answer'd:

The iron hot, or on her anvil mould them."

"Who voucheth to thee of the works themselves,"

Was the reply, "that they in very deed

Are that they purport? None hath sworn so to thee." "That all the world," said I, "should have been turn'd To Christian, and no miracle been wrought,

Would in itself be such a miracle,

The rest were not an hundredth part so great.
E'en thou went'st forth in poverty and hunger
To set the goodly plant, that, from the vine
It once was, now is grown unsightly bramble."

That ended, through the high celestial court
Resounded all the spheres," Praise we one God!"
In song of most unearthly melody.

1" The ancient bond and new." The Old and New Testaments.

And when that Worthy2 thus, from branch to branch,
Examining, had led me, that we now

Approach'd the topmost bough; he straight resumed:
66 The grace, that holds sweet dalliance with thy soul
So far discreetly hath thy lips unclosed;

That, whatsoe'er has passed them, I commend.
Behoves thee to express, what thou believest,
The next; and, whereon, thy belief hath grown."
"O saintly sire and spirit!" I began,

'Who seest that, which thou didst so believe,
As to outstrip feet younger than thine own,
Toward the sepulchre; thy will is here,
That I the tenor of my creed unfold;

And thou, the cause of it, hast likewise ask'd.

And I reply: I in one God believe;

One sole eternal Godhead, of whose love

All Heaven is moved, himself unmoved the while.

Nor demonstration physical alone,

Or more intelligential and abstruse.

Persuades me to this faith: but from that truth

It cometh to me rather, which is shed

Through Moses; the rapt Prophets; and the Psalms;

The Gospel; and what ye yourselves did write,
When ye were gifted of the Holy Ghost.

In three eternal Persons I believe;

Essence threefold and one; mysterious league
Of union absolute, which, many a time,
The word of gospel lore upon my mind

Imprints and from this germ, this firstling spark
The lively flame dilates; and, like heaven's star,
Doth glitter in me." As the master hears,
Well pleased, and then enfoldeth in his arms.
The servant, who hath joyful tidings brought,
And having told the errand keeps his peace;
Thus benediction uttering with song,
Soon as my peace I held, compass'd me thrice
The apostolic radiance, whose behest

Had oped my lips: so well their answer pleased.

CANTO XXV

ARGUMENT.-St. James questions our Poet concerning Hope. Next St. John appears; and, on perceiving that Dante looks intently on him, informs him that he, St. John, had left his body resolved into earth, upon the earth, and that Christ and the Virgin alone had come with their bodies into Heaven.

F e'er the sacred poem, that hath made

IF

Both heaven and earth copartners in its toil,

And with lean abstinence, through many a year,
Faded my brow, be destined to prevail
Over the cruelty, which bars me forth
Of the fair sheep-fold,1 where, a sleeping lamb,
The wolves set on and fain had worried me;
With other voice, and fleece of other grain,
I shall forthwith return; and, standing up
At my baptismal font, shall claim the wreath
Due to the poet's temples: for I there
First enter'd on the faith, which maketh souls
Acceptable to God: and, for its sake,2
Peter had then circled my forehead thus.

Next from the squadron, whence had issued forth
The first fruit of Christ's vicars on the earth,
Toward us moved a light, at view whereof
My Lady, full of gladness, spake to me:
"Lo! lo! behold the peer of mickle might,
That makes Galicia throng'd with visitants." 3
As when the ring-dove by his mate alights;
In circles, each about the other wheels,
And, murmuring, coos his fondness: thus saw I
One, of the other great and glorious prince,
With kindly greeting, hail'd; extolling, both,
Their heavenly banqueting: but when an end

1 "The fair sheep-fold." whence he was banished.

Florence,

2" For its sake." For the sake of that faith.

3" Galicia throng'd with visitants." At the time that the sepulchre of the apostle St. James was discovered, the devotion for that place extended itself not only over all Spain, but even round about to foreign nations. Multitudes from all parts of the world came to visit it. Many others were deterred by the

difficulty of the journey, by the roughness and barrenness of those parts, and by the incursions of the Moors, who made captives many of the pilgrims.The canons of St. Eloy, afterward (the precise time is not known), with a desire of remedying these evils, built, in many places along the whole road, which reached as far as to France, hospitals for the reception of the pilgrims. "One, of the other." St. Peter and St. James.

Was to their gratulation, silent, each,
Before me sat they down, so burning bright,
I could not look upon them. Smiling then,
Beatrice spake: "O life in glory shrined!
Who didst the largess of our kingly court
Set down with faithful pen; let now thy voice,
Of hope the praises, in this height resound.
For well thou know'st, who figurest it as oft,
As Jesus, to ye three, more brightly shone."

"Lift up thy head; and be thou strong in trust:
For that, which hither from the mortal world
Arriveth, must be ripen'd in our beam."

Such cheering accents from the second flame
Assured me; and mine eyes I lifted up
Unto the mountains, that had bow'd them late
With over-heavy burden. "Sith our Liege
Wills of his grace, that thou, or e'er thy death,
In the most secret council with his lords
Shouldst be confronted, so that having view'd
The glories of our court, thou mayst therewith
Thyself, and all who hear, invigorate

With hope, that leads to blissful end; declare,
What is that hope? how it doth flourish in thee?
And whence thou hadst it?" Thus, proceeding still,
The second light: and she, whose gentle love

My soaring pennons in that lofty flight

Escorted, thus preventing me, rejoin'd:

Among her sons, not one more full of hope,

Hath the church militant: so 'tis of him

Recorded in the sun, whose liberal orb
Enlighteneth all our tribe: and ere his term
Of warfare, hence permitted he is come,
From Egypt to Jerusalem, to see.

The other points, both which thou hast inquired.
Not for more knowledge, but that he may tell

"Who." The Epistle of St. James is here attributed to the elder apostle of that name, whose shrine was at Compostella, in Galicia.

"The second flame." St. James. "I lifted up." I looked up to the apostles. "I will lift up mine eyes unto

the hills, from whence cometh my ."-Psalm cxxi. 1.

8

help: From Egypt to Jerusalem." From

the lower world to Heaven.

"Both which." One point Beatrice has herself answered: "how that hope flourishes in him." The other two remain for Dante to resolve.

How dear thou hold'st the virtue; these to him.
Leave I: for he may answer thee with ease,
And without boasting, so God give him grace."

Like to the scholar, practised in his task,
Who, willing to give proof of diligence,
Seconds his teacher gladly; " Hope," said I,
"Is of the joy to come a sure expectance,
The effect of grace divine and merit preceding.
This light from many a star, visits my heart;
But flow'd to me, the first, from him who sang
The songs of the Supreme; himself supreme
Among his tuneful brethren. 'Let all hope
In thee,' so spake his anthem, 'who have known
Thy name; and, with my faith, who know not that?
From thee, the next, distilling from his spring,
In thine epistle, fell on me the drops

So plenteously, that I on others shower
The influence of their dew." While as I spake,

A lamping, as of quick and volley'd lightning,
Within the bosom of that mighty sheen1o

Play'd tremulous; then forth these accents breathed:
"Love for the virtue, which attended me
E'en to the palm, and issuing from the field,
Glows vigorous yet within me; and inspires

To ask of thee, whom also it delights,

What promise thou from hope, in chief, dost win."
"Both scriptures, new and ancient," I replied,

66

Propose the mark (which even now I view)

For souls beloved of God. Isaias11 saith,

'That, in their own land, each one must be clad
In twofold vesture;'

Is this delicious life.

and their proper land

In terms more full,

And clearer far, thy brother12 hath set forth
This revelation to us, where he tells

Of the white raiment destined to the saints."

And, as the words were ending, from above,

66

They hope in thee!" first heard we cried: whereto

10" That mighty sheen." The spirit of St. James.

"Isaias."

"He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath

covered me with the robe of righteousness."-Chap. lxi. 10.

12 Thy brother." St. John in the Rev. vii. 9.