The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-04
The Home of Dante.

|
The Home of Dante.
"She is the Athens Of Italy" says
Lemonnier. "only it is not the Athens OF
Aristides; 1t is the Athens Of Alcibiades ="
The love OF the poet and painter,
scholar and traveller suffers no diminution
FOR Florence with the lapse OF centuries.
she Is one OF those cities OF which II
may be said age cannot wither nor
custom stale her infinite variety" On the
other hand time tends. TO broaden and
intensity her reputation, and under the
growing light OF modern culture, II is
no equivocal, no common love that IS
accorded her. 1t is love given as freely
and fully as the sunshine which falls
! upon her fiowery wales. II would seem
that the potent charm which brought all
| things to such n state of perfection I'm
Florence is Nature itself Even so great
an authority IS Vasari does not hesitate
| 10 affirm that the pure and delicious at
mosphere of Florence Is highly conducive
to intelligence and refinement, and was
undoubtedly the cause OF the more rapid
| development OF art and the art-spirlt in
| Florence than In the other Italian towns
and 1t is not extravagant to say that there
is no other place I'm the world where Art
and Nature so tremendously blend TO
| meet each others requirements as in the
'Bello Ovile" beautiful sheepfold) as
Dante styled his idolized city. The trav-
eler notices that many OF the streets Of
Florence are named In honor OF some
illustrious patrician family, and not in
| frequently take their name from some
scene or incident that transpired within
| their limits.
Perhaps one OF the most interesting in
cidents connected with the naming OF a
street Is the romantic story that gave
name TO the Via della Morta and TO the
VIA Rondinelli. Geneva, a daughter Of
the patncian house Of Admari, was be-
loved by Antonio Rondinelll. son Of a
plebeian family that led an attack against
the mobiles. Consequently her father re-
fused his consent TO her marriage with
Rondineli, and forced her to accept
patrician named Agolanti During the
plague OF 400 she fell into n swoon and
was hastily inferred in the family vault,
but recovered and escaped from the
grave only TO be considered a disembodied
spirit by her husband. In despair she
sought the house of the parents OF Ron
dinelli, near the street which to-day bears
the name Of the family They gladly
took her in. and the tribunals having de-
cided that the marriage OF a woman
who had been dead and buried was an
nulled. she was allowed TO marry her
former lover.
In fact, so many streets carry patrician
names that 1t would almost be possible
to give an intelligent indication of the
different epochs Of Florentne history by
simply noticing the names of the streets,
as every street is rich in historical remi-
niscences and one narrow street is glOri-
fled by the rude doorway of Dante's
house.
Notwithstanding their frequent polit-
cal and religious disturbances, their diH-
sion into factions and party strife, there
was, nevertheless, a dignity and patriot
ism in those old Florentnes that gave
them a marked individuality and brought
about a state OF affairs that affected
the condition Of the whole civilized world
for the better. And there is beauty OF
sentiment in the thought that the flowers
which were strewn every year over the
spot where poor Savonarola was hanged
and burned, were indeed let fall BY the
invisible hands Of angels TO purify the
city from this foul blot in her history.
Near the old gate Porta Pint is the
lovely Protestant cemetery, which is one
OF the Meccas Of pilgrimage for all who
love the pure and elevating poetry OF
Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Here she
sleeps under the shadow of the cypress,
and in view OF her beloved Florence.
II is no wonder that on the tablet in
serted in the Casa Guidi by the Italian
Government they say that she gave the
marriage-ring TO Italy and England; for
she poured her whole heart and soul Into
some Of the most fervent and sublime
poems ever written in defense Of Italian
liberty and unity Beautifully she lived
her sanity life. and as she closed her
eyes I'm that earthly sleep that knows no
awakening on the morning Of the 10Th
Of June 1861, gazing upward through the
wide-open gates upon the ineffable glory.
she sweetly smiled, and saying 1T is
beautiful departed In the early dawn.
vanishing like the morning star amid
the golden radiance of an eternal morn
ing" What can be more touching and
truthful than the simple creed OF this
high-minded and noble woman: II love
all who love truth. If rich or poor" she
cries.
II believe in one priest and one temple.
With its floors of shining jasper. gloomed
At morn and eve by countless knees
OF earnest auditors;
And crystal walls too lucid to perceive
That none may take the measure OF this
place,
And say SO far the porphyry. then the
flint:
To that mark mercy goes. and there ends
grace
IT hold the articulated Gospels, which
Show Christ among us. crucihed on tree;
love all who love truth il rich or poor,
In what they have won OF truth posses
sively."
Near her simple marble sarcophagus,
which Is in the medieval style, sup
ported by six composite columns, is the
modest grave Of Theodore Parker whose
struggles for humanity let us hope were
not all in vain. Sweet flowers breathe
their fragrance over this halowed spot
and as we turn away. we say as Keats
said OF its sister cemetery in Rome: 1T
would almost make one in love with death
10 be buried In so sweet spot"