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＇60＇ 〃Quand' ebbe detto cio； eon gli occhi torti Riprese il teschio misero coi denti； Che furo all' osso； come d'un can； forti。〃 Inferno； XXXIII。 76。
That is in the grand style； and so is the following； which describes those sinners locked in the frozen lake below Malebolge：
〃Weeping itself there does not let them weep； And grief that finds a barrier in the eyes Turns itself inward to increase the anguish。＇61＇
＇61＇ 〃Lo pianto stesso li pianger non lascia； E il duol； che trova in sugli occhi rintoppo； Si volve in entro a far crescer l' ambascia。〃 Inferno； XXXIII。 94。
And the exclamation of one of these poor 〃wretches of the frozen crust〃 is an exclamation that Shakespeare might have written：
〃Lift from mine eyes the rigid veils； that I May vent the sorrow which impregns my heart。〃＇62＇
＇62＇ 〃Levatemi dal viso i duri veli； Si ch' io sfoghi il dolor che il cor m' impregna。〃 Ib。 112。
There is nothing in Mr。 Cary's translation which can stand a comparison with that。 The eighteenth century could not translate like that。 For here at last we have a real reproduction of the antique。 In the Shakespearian ring of these lines we recognize the authentic rendering of the tones of the only man since the Christian era who could speak like Shakespeare。
In this way Mr。 Longfellow's translation is； to an eminent degree； realistic。 It is a work conceived and executed in entire accordance with the spirit of our time。 Mr。 Longfellow has set about making a reconstructive translation； and he has succeeded in the attempt。 In view of what he has done； no one can ever wish to see the old methods of Pope and Cary again resorted to。 It is only where he fails to be truly realistic that he comes short of success。 And； as already hinted； it is oftenest through sheer excess of LITERALISM that he ceases to be realistic； and departs from the spirit of his author instead of coming nearer to it。 In the 〃Paradiso；〃 Canto X。 1…6； his method leads him into awkwardness：
〃Looking into His Son with all the love Which each of them eternally breathes forth； The primal and unutterable Power Whate'er before the mind or eye revolves With so much order made； there can be none Who this beholds without enjoying Him。〃
This seems clumsy and halting； yet it is an extremely literal paraphrase of a graceful and flowing original：
〃Guardando nel suo figlio con l' amore Che l' uno e l' altro eternalmente spire； Lo primo ed ineffabile Valore； Quanto per mente o per loco si gira Con tanto ordine fe'； ch' esser non puote Senza gustar di lui ehi cio rimira 〃
Now to turn a graceful and flowing sentence into one that is clumsy and halting is certainly not to reproduce it； no matter how exactly the separate words are rendered； or how closely the syntactic constructions match each other。 And this consideration seems conclusive as against the adequacy of the literalist method。 That method is inadequate； not because it is too REALISTIC； but because it runs continual risk of being too VERBALISTIC。 It has recently been applied to the translation of Dante by Mr。 Rossetti； and it has sometimes led him to write curious verses。 For instance； he makes Francesca say to Dante；
〃O gracious and benignant ANIMAL！〃
for
〃O animal grazioso e benigno！〃
Mr。 Longfellow's good taste has prevented his doing anything like this； yet Mr。 Rossetti's extravagance is due to an unswerving adherence to the very rules by which Mr。 Longfellow has been guided。
Good taste and poetic genius are； however； better than the best of rules； and so； after all said and done； we can only conclude that Mr。 Longfellow has given us a great and noble work not likely soon to be equalled。 Leopardi somewhere； in speaking of the early Italian translators of the classics and their well…earned popularity； says； who knows but Caro will live in men's remembrance as long as Virgil？ 〃La belie destinee；〃 adds Sainte…Beuve； 〃de ne pouvoir plus mourir； sinon avec un immortel！〃 Apart from Mr。 Longfellow's other titles to undying fame； such a destiny is surely marked out for him； and throughout the English portions of the world his name will always be associated with that of the great Florentine。
June； 1867。
XII。 PAINE'S 〃ST。 PETER。〃
For music…lovers in America the great event of the season has been the performance of Mr。 Paine's oratorio； 〃St。 Peter；〃 at Portland； June 3。 This event is important； not only as the first appearance of an American oratorio； but also as the first direct proof we have had of the existence of creative musical genius in this country。 For Mr。 Paine's Mass in Da work which was brought out with great success several years ago in Berlinhas； for some reason or other； never been performed here。 And； with the exception of Mr。 Paine； we know of no American hitherto who has shown either the genius or the culture requisite for writing music in the grand style； although there is some of the Kapellmeister music； written by our leading organists and choristers； which deserves honourable mention。 Concerning the rank likely to be assigned by posterity to 〃St。 Peter；〃 it would be foolish now to speculate； and it would be equally unwise to bring it into direct comparison with masterpieces like the 〃Messiah；〃 〃Elijah；〃 and 〃St。 Paul；〃 the greatness of which has been so long acknowledged。 Longer familiarity with the work is needed before such comparisons； always of somewhat doubtful value； can be profitably undertaken。 But it must at least be said； as the net result of our impressions derived both from previous study of the score and from hearing； the performance at Portland； that Mr。 Paine's oratorio has fairly earned for itself the right to be judged by the same high standard which we apply to these noble works of Mendelssohn and Handel。
In our limited space we can give only the briefest description of the general structure of the work。 The founding of Christianity； as illustrated in four principal scenes of the life of St。 Peter； supplies the material for the dramatic development of the subject。 The overture； beginning with an adagio movement in B…flat minor； gives expression to the vague yearnings of that time of doubt and hesitancy when the 〃oracles were dumb；〃 and the dawning of a new era of stronger and diviner faith was matter of presentiment rather than of definite hope or expectation。 Though the tonality is at first firmly established； yet as the movement becomes more agitated； the final tendency of the modulations also becomes uncertain； and for a few bars it would seem as if the key of F…sharp minor might be the point of destination。 But after a short melody by the wind instruments； accompanied by a rapid upward movement of strings； the dominant chord of C major asserts itself； being repeated； with sundry inversions； through a dozen bars； and leading directly into the triumphant and majestic chorus； 〃 The time is fulfilled； and the kingdom of heaven is at hand。〃 The second subject； introduced by the word 〃repent〃 descending through the interval of a diminished seventh and contrasted with the florid count