The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-02-05
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Tha February No. OF the C,tdtholsc Wlo.,d,
says che Beston Adpeytas vess ~ ~
steady excellence Df literary racter " ls.
has river IL q sieservedfy high place " o y,
.,,ar,od ;eaI literature, TO fbl8 NO. Dr.
10 III Parsons contributes q translation OF tne
is;v,h sray,to of the PHrgatorio B OF Dant e,
T Thesa contributions by DR.. Parsons VIII
ar,nlvs rerur the lover of noble and melo.
sIio,s verse. ir there were no other induce
mcnt to consult the periodical. Pernaps
there il no passage In the Divine
COMEDY more striking or better lilustra-
tive of the poet and the period when ne
lived than the interview In this ceie-
brated capto between Virgil end sordello-
the great Italian OF the Augusfan age, the
good old MAINTAIN, SO dear and SO well
known to every sc!olar-and The great uT,-
known Mnntuan of medieval Italy; for who
Sordelio really was, I" ddhuc sub JUDGE, has
est, As an instance of sustained and ter
rife inyectiye, and an irony which Dante,
the greatest master Of irony, has never sur
PASSED, we recall nothing In the whole range
of litelnture that can bear the palm from
this outbnrst Of Dante, when, after having
witnessed the affecting embrace of Virgil and
Sordeilo, he exelaims:
All, Slayish Italy! thou common lnn
For woe to lodge nj! without pilot tuou
Shin IN great tempest! not what thou hast been,
Lady Of provinces, but broihal now!
That gentle soul SO quickly, at the dear -
To grace bis townsman with greeting mere;
Aud now thy lying childreh, to their shame,
Are all al var and they VINO dwel 0 9s.,i to
Search, wrefched search all round thine either
And TN n look inland in thy bosom, see
TO, t,>o %fnff
What though justinian made new reins for thee,
What boots it II the saddle remaiD void3
Without his mcnding thy disgrace were lcss'
And VIC tribe that ought to he employed
In yoir devotIons, and let Cesar press
The seat OF CHsar IL Gods word you heed
See, since your hand hath on the bride 6een'
How walton grown and wicked Is the steed,.
Through want from you of the spurs discipline.
O German Albert! who abandonest
Wien thom shouldst ride her with thy heels hard
pressed;
May heavens Just judgement light nPen thy line
And be II something strange, and manifest
TO make him tremble that comes after thee,
Because for lust Of barren fefs out there.s
Thou and thy Father have not siamcd to see
The empires garden de. olate and bare.
: .omc, see the Capulets and Montagues,
Monaldi aud Fiirpeschi. o thou being
Already crushed; come safe thyself with seeing,
Thou cruel man, the outrage that is done -,
To thy best blood and make their bruises wen!
And thou shall see. too. thou cold looker-oh'
Santafiure s lords how safe they dwell.
Conc sec thy Rome that mourning all alone
Weepcth, widow, calling day and night
WHY, y my Cesar, dost thou leave thine own
Come see what love there-how all hcirts unite;
And II no pity move thee at our moa a,,,,.
And lawful, If speak, 0 most high Joye.
Who vast for our snkes crucifed on carth
Are thy just eyes who watchest men above
Turned elsewhere? Or Is this before the birth
OF some great good preparation hid
From US In the abyss of thy intent,
That all the Italian towns are tyrant-rid,
Il r1n hat
Makes us much clamor as Marcollns dbl