[Footnote 11: Sordello was a famous Provençal poet; with whose writings the world has but lately been made acquainted through the researches of M. Raynouard, in his _Choix des Poésies des Troubadours_, &c.]
[Footnote 12: "Fresco smeraldo in l'ora che si fiacca." An exquisite image of newness and brilliancy.]
[Footnote 13: "Salve, Regina:" the beginning of a Roman-Catholic chant to the Virgin.]
[Footnote 14: "With nose deprest," says Mr. Cary. But Dante says, literally, "small nose,"--_nasetto_. So, further on, he says, "masculine nose,"--_maschio naso_. He meant to imply the greater or less determination of character, which the size of that feature is supposed to indicate.]
[Footnote 15: An English reader is surprised to find here a sovereign for whom he has been taught to entertain little respect. But Henry was a devout servant of the Church.]
"Era già l'ora che volge 'l desio A' naviganti, e intenerisce 'l cuore Lo dì ch' an detto a' dolci amici a Dio;
E che lo nuovo peregrin d'amore Punge, se ode squilla di lontano Che paia 'l giorno pianger che si muore."
A famous passage, untiring in the repetition. It is, indeed, worthy to be the voice of Evening herself.
'Twas now the hour, when love of home melts through Men's hearts at sea, and longing thoughts portray The moment when they bade sweet friends adieu; And the new pilgrim now, on his lone way, Thrills, if he hears the distant vesper-bell, That seems to mourn for the expiring day.
Every body knows the line in Gray's Elegy, not unworthily echoed from Dante's--
"The curfew tolls the knell of parting day."
Nothing can equal, however, the _tone_ in the Italian original,--the
Alas! why could not the great Tuscan have been superior enough to his personal griefs to write a whole book full of such beauties, and so have left us a work truly to be called Divine?]
"Te lucis ante terminum;"--a hymn sung at evening service.]
[Footnote 18: Lucy, _Lucia_ (supposed to be derived from _lux, lucis_), is the goddess (I was almost going to say) who in Roman Catholic countries may be said to preside over _light_, and who is really invoked in maladies of the eyes. She was Dante's favourite saint, possibly for that reason among others, for he had once hurt his eyes with study, and they had been cured. In her spiritual character she represents the light of grace.]