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to most people； especially if old and short…winded and gouty。
In the year 1309 the first part of the 〃Divine Comedy；〃 the
Inferno； was finished by Dante； at the age of forty…four； in the
tenth year of his pilgrimage； under the roof of the Marquis of
Lunigiana； and it was intrusted to the care of Fra Ilario； a monk
living on the beautiful Ligurian shores。 As everybody knows； it is
a vivid； graphic picture of what was supposed to be the infernal
regions； where great sinners are punished with various torments
forever and ever。 It is interesting for the excellence of the
poetry； the brilliant analyses of characters； the allusion to
historical events； the bitter invectives； the intense sarcasms； and
the serious； earnest spirit which underlies the descriptions。 But
there is very little of gentleness or compassion； in view of the
protracted torments of the sufferers。 We stand aghast in view of
the miseries and monsters； furies and gorgons； snakes and fires；
demons； filth； lakes of pitch； pools of blood； plains of scorching
sands； circles； and chimeras dire；a physical hell of utter and
unspeakable dreariness and despair； awfully and powerfully
described； but still repulsive。 In each of the dismal abodes； far
down in the bowels of the earth； which Dante is supposed to have
visited with Virgil as a guide； in which some infernal deity
presides； all sorts of physical tortures are accumulated； inflicted
on traitors； murderers； robbers；men who have committed great
crimes； unpunished in their lifetime； such men as Cain； Judas；
Ugolino；men consigned to an infamous immortality。 On the great
culprits of history； and of Italy especially； Dante virtually sits
in judgment； and he consigns them equally to various torments which
we shudder to think of。
And here let me say； as a general criticism； that in the Inferno
are brought out in tremendous language the opinions of the Middle
Ages in reference to retribution。 Dante does not rise above them；
with all his genius； he is not emancipated from them。 It is the
rarest thing in this world for any man； however profound his
intellect and bold his spirit； to be emancipated from the great and
leading ideas of his age。 Abraham was； and Moses； and the founder
of Buddhism； and Socrates； and Mohammed； and Luther； but they were
reformers； more or less divinely commissioned； with supernatural
aid in many instances to give them wisdom。 But Homer was not； nor
Euripides； nor the great scholastics of the Middle Ages； nor even
popes。 The venerated doctors and philosophers； prelates； scholars；
nobles； kings； to say nothing of the people； thought as Dante did
in reference to future punishment；that it was physical； awful；
accumulative； infinite； endless； the wrath of avenging deity
displayed in pains and agonies inflicted on the body； like the
tortures of inquisitors； thus appealing to the fears of men； on
which chiefly the power of the clergy was based。 Nor in these
views of endless physical sufferings； as if the body itself were
eternal and indestructible； is there the refinement of Milton； who
placed misery in the upbraidings of conscience； in mental torture
rather than bodily； in the everlasting pride and rebellion of the
followers of Satan and his fallen angels。 It was these awful views
of protracted and eternal physical torments；not the hell of the
Bible； but the hell of ingenious human invention；which gives to
the Middle Ages a sorrowful and repulsive light； thus nursing
superstition and working on the fears of mankind； rather than on
the conscience and the sense of moral accountability。 But how
could Dante have represented the ideas of the Middle Ages； if he
had not painted his Inferno in the darkest colors that the
imagination could conceive； unless he had soared beyond what is
revealed into the unfathomable and mysterious and unrevealed
regions of the second death？
After various wanderings in France and Italy； and after an interval
of three years； Dante produced the second part of the poem；the
Purgatorio；in which he assumes another style； and sings another
song。 In this we are introduced to an illustrious company；many
beloved friends； poets； musicians； philosophers； generals； even
prelates and popes； whose deeds and thoughts were on the whole
beneficent。 These illustrious men temporarily expiate the sins of
anger； of envy； avarice； gluttony； pride； ambition；the great
defects which were blended with virtues； and which are to be purged
out of them by suffering。 Their torments are milder； and amid them
they discourse on the principles of moral wisdom。 They utter noble
sentiments； they discuss great themes； they show how vain is wealth
and power and fame； they preach sermons。 In these discourses；
Dante shows his familiarity with history and philosophy； he unfolds
that moral wisdom for which he is most distinguished。 His scorn is
now tempered with tenderness。 He shows a true humanity； he is more
forgiving； more generous； more sympathetic。 He is more lofty； if
he is not more intense。 He sees the end of expiations： the
sufferers will be restored to peace and joy。
But even in his purgatory； as in his hell； he paints the ideas of
his age。 He makes no new or extraordinary revelations。 He arrives
at no new philosophy。 He is the Christian poet； after the pattern
of his age。
It is plain that the Middle Ages must have accepted or invented
some relief from punishment； or every Christian country would have
been overwhelmed with the blackness of despair。 Men could not
live； if they felt they could not expiate their sins。 Who could
smile or joke or eat or sleep or have any pleasure； if he thought
seriously there would be no cessation or release from endless
pains？ Who could discharge his ordinary duties or perform his
daily occupations； if his father or his mother or his sister or his
brother or his wife or his son or his daughter might not be finally
forgiven for the frailties of an imperfect nature which he had
inherited？ The Catholic Church； in its benignity；at what time I
do not know；opened the future of hope amid the speculations of
despair。 She saved the Middle Ages from universal gloom。 If
speculation or logic or tradition or scripture pointed to a hell of
reprobation； there must be also a purgatory as the field of
expiation； for expiation there must be for sin； somewhere； somehow；
according to immutable laws； unless a mantle of universal
forgiveness were spread over sinners who in this life had given no
sufficient proofs of repentance and faith。 Expiation was the great
element of Mediaeval theology。 It may have been borrowed from
India； but it was engrafted on the Christian system。 Sometimes it
was made to take place in this life； when the sinner； having
pleased God； entered at once upon heavenly beatitudes。 Hence
fastings； scourgings； self…laceration； ascetic rigors in dress and
food； pilgrimages；all to purchase forgiveness； which idea of
forgive