evil seed of Adam cast themselves from that shore at signals, as the bird at its call. Thus they depart on the brown water; and ere they have landed on the other shore, again a fresh crowd collects on this.

"My son," said the courteous Master, "those who die under God's wrath, all assemble here from every country. And they are prompt to pass the river, for Divine Justice spurs them so, that fear is changed into desire. By this way no good spirit. ever passes; and hence, if Charon complains of thee, thou easily now mayest know the import of his words."

When he had ended, the dusky champaign trembled so violently that the remembrance of my terror bathes me still with sweat. The tearful ground gave out wind, and flashed with a crimson light, which conquered all my senses and I fell, like one who is seized with sleep.

A heavy thunder broke the deep sleep in my head; so that I started like one who is awaked by force. And, having risen erect, I moved my rested eyes around, and looked steadfastly to know the place in which I was. True is it, that I found myself upon the brink of the dolorous Valley of the Abyss, which gathers thunder of endless wailings. It was so dark, profound, and cloudy, that, with fixing my look upon the bottom, I there discerned nothing.

"Now let us descend into the blind world here below," began the Poet, all pale: "I will be first, and thou shalt be second."

And I, who had remarked his color, said: "How shall I come, when thou fearest, who art wont to be my strength in doubt?"

And he to me: "The anguish of the people who are here below, on my face depaints that pity, which thou takest for fear. Let us go; for the length of way impels us." Thus he entered, and made me enter, into the first circle that girds the abyss. Here there was no plaint, that could be heard, except of sighs, which caused the eternal air to tremble. And this arose from the sadness, without torment, of the crowds, that were many and great, both of children, and of women and

men.

The good Master to me: "Thou askest not what spirits are these thou seest? I wish thee to know, before thou goest farther, that they sinned not. And though they have merit, it suffices not; for they had not Baptism, which is the portal

of the Faith that thou believest. And seeing they were before Christianity, they worshiped not God aright. And of these am I myself. For such defects, and for no other fault, are we lost; and only in so far afflicted, that without hope we live in desire."

Great sadness took me at the heart on hearing this; because I knew men of much worth, who in that Limbo were suspense. "Tell me, Master; tell me, Sir," I began, desiring to be assured of that Faith which conquers every error; "did ever any, by his own merit, or by others', go out from hence, that afterwards was blessed?"

And he, understanding my covert speech, replied: "I was new in this condition, when I saw a Mighty One come to us, crowned with sign of victory. He took away from us the shade of our First Parent, of Abel his son, and that of Noah ; of Moses the Legislator, and obedient Abraham the Patriarch; David the King; Israel with his father and his children, and Rachel, for whom he did so much; and many others, and made them blessed. And I wish thee to know, that, before these, no human souls were saved."

We ceased not to go, though he was speaking; but passed the wood meanwhile, the wood, I say, of crowded spirits. Our way was not yet far within the topmost part, when I saw a fire, which conquered a hemisphere of the darkness. We were still a little distant from it; yet not so distant, that I did not in part discern what honorable people occupied that place.

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"O thou, that honorest every science and art; who are these, who have such honor, that it separates them from the manner of the rest?"

And he to me: "The honored name, which sounds of them, up in that life of thine, gains favor in heaven which thus advances them."

Meanwhile a voice was heard by me: "Honor the great Poet! His shade returns that was departed."

After the voice had paused, and was silent, I saw four great shadows come to us. They had an aspect neither sad nor joyful. The good Master began to speak: "Mark him with that sword in hand, who comes before the three as their lord. That is Homer, the sovereign Poet. The next who comes is Horace the satirist. Ovid is the third; and the last is Lucan. Because each agrees with me in the name, which the one voice sounded, they do me honor; and therein they do well."

Thus I saw assembled the goodly school of that lord of highest song, who, like an eagle, soars above the rest. After they had talked a space together, they turned to me with sign of salutation; and my Master smiled thereat. And greatly more besides they honored me; for they made me of their number, so that I was a sixth amid such intelligences.

Thus we went onwards to the light, speaking things which it is well to pass in silence, as it was well to speak there where I was. We came to the foot of a Noble Castle, seven times circled with lofty Walls, defended round by a fair Rivulet. This we passed as solid land. Through seven gates I entered with those sages. We reached a meadow of fresh verdure. On it were people with eyes slow and grave, of great authority in their appearance.

They spoke seldom, with mild voices. Thus we retired on one of the sides into a place open, luminous, and high, so that they could all be seen. There direct, upon the green enamel, were shown to me the great spirits whom I glory within myself in having seen. I saw Electra with many companions: amongst whom I knew both Hector and Eneas; Cæsar armed, with the falcon eyes. I saw Camilla and Penthesilea. On the other hand I saw the Latian king, sitting with Lavinia his daughter. I saw that Brutus who expelled the Tarquin; Lucretia, Julia, Martia, and Cornelia. And by himself apart, I saw the Saladin.

When I raised my eyelids a little higher, I saw the Master of those that know, sitting amid a philosophic family. All regard him; all do him honor. Here I saw Socrates and Plato, who before the rest stand nearest to him; Democritus, who ascribes the world to chance; Diogenes, Anaxagoras, and Thales; Empedocles, Heraclitus, and Zeno. And I saw the good collector of the qualities, Dioscorides I mean; and saw Orpheus, Tully, Livy, and Seneca the moralist; Euclid the geometer, and Ptolemæus; Hippocrates, Avicenna, and Galen ; Averrhoës, who made the great comment. I may not paint them all in full; for the long theme so chases me, that many times the word comes short of the reality.

The company of six diminishes to two. By another road the sage guide leads me, out of the quiet, into the trembling air; and I come to a part where there is naught that shines.

OF CHRIST, WHO, BY HIS PASSION, DELIVERED US FROM HELL.

(From the "Gesta Romanorum.")

IN the middle of Rome there was once an immense chasm, which no human efforts could fill up. The gods being questioned relative to this extraordinary circumstance, made answer that, unless a man could be found who would voluntarily commit himself to the gulf, it would remain unclosed forever. Proclamations were sent forth, signifying that he who was willing to offer himself a sacrifice for the good of his country should appear-but not a man ventured to declare himself. At length Marcus Aurelius said, "If ye will permit me to live as I please during the space of one whole year, I will cheerfully surrender myself, at the end of it, to the yawning chasm." The Romans assented with joy, and Aurelius indulged for that year in every wish of his heart. Then, mounting a noble steed, he rode furiously into the abyss, which immediately closed over him.

APPLICATION.

My beloved, Rome is the world, in the center of which, before the nativity of Christ, was the gulf of hell, yawning for our immortal souls. Christ plunged into it, and by so doing ransomed the human race.

THE RETURN OF THE GOLDEN AGE.

(THE MESSIANIC ECLOGUE.)

BY VIRGIL.

(Translated by Sir Charles Bowen.)

[For biographical sketches, see page 1076.]

COME is the last of the ages, in song Cumæan foretold.
Now is the world's grand cycle begun once more from of old.
Justice the Virgin comes, and the Saturn kingdom again;
Now from the skies is descending a new generation of men.
Thou to the boy in his birth, upon whose first opening eyes
The iron age shall close, and a race that is golden arise,—

Chaste Lucina be kindly! He reigns-thy Phoebus-to-day!
Thine to be Consul, thine, at a world's bright ushering in,
Pollio, when the procession of nobler months shall begin;
Under thy rule all lingering traces of Italy's sin,

Fading to naught, shall free us from fear's perpetual sway.

Life of the gods shall be his, to behold with the gods in their might
Heroes immortal mingled, appear himself in their sight,

Rule with his Father's virtues a world at peace from the sword.
Boy, for thine infant presents the earth unlabored shall bring
Ivies wild with foxglove around thee wreathing, and fling
Mixed with the laughing acanthus the lotus leaf on the sward;
Homeward at eve untended the goat shall come from the mead
Swelling with milk; flocks fearless of monstrous lions shall feed;
Even thy cradle blossom with tender flowers, and be gay.
Every snake shall perish; the treacherous poison weed
Die, and Assyrian spices arise unsown by the way.

When thou art able to read of the heroes' glories, the bright

Deeds of thy sire, and to know what is manhood's valor and might,
Plains will be turning golden, and wave with ripening corn;
Purple grapes shall blush on the tangled wilderness thorn;
Honey from hard-grained oaks be distilling pure as the dew;
Though of our ancient folly as yet shall linger a few
Traces, to bid us venture the deep, with walls to surround
Cities, and, restless ever, to cleave with furrows the ground.
Then shall another Tiphys, a later Argo to sea

Sail, with her heroes chosen; again great battles shall be;
Once more the mighty Achilles be sent to a second Troy.

Soon when strengthening years shall have made thee man from a boy,
Trader himself shall abandon the deep; no trafficking hull
Barter her wares; all regions of all things fair shall be full.
Glebe shall be free from the harrow, the vine no pruner fear;
Soon will the stalwart plowman release unneeded the steer.
Varied hues no longer the wool shall falsely assume.
Now to a blushing purple and now to the saffron's bloom,
Cropping the meadow, the ram shall change his fleece at his need;
Crimsoning grasses color the lambs themselves as they feed.

"Ages blest, roll onward!" the Sisters of Destiny cried
Each to her spindle, agreeing by Fate's firm will to abide.
Come to thy godlike honors; the time well-nigh is begun;
Offspring loved of immortals, of Jove great scion and son!

Lo, how the universe totters beneath heaven's dome and its weight,
Land and the wide waste waters, the depths of the firmament great!
Lo, all nature rejoices to see this glorious day!