Francesca. Caina (in line 107) is the lowest but one of the four divisions of the traitors' circle, devoted to the punishment of fratricides, among whom Malatesta would take his place after death. Dante explains elsewhere that the damned, though not aware of what is at the time passing upon the earth, are yet able to foretell the future; a power liable to be made use of by witches and sorcerers while the world lasts, but one which of course will cease, together with futurity itself, at the Day of Judgment, when with the resumption of their bodies the measure of their suffering will be complete. THE INFERNO.-CANTO V. FROM the first circle down I thus descended At his tribunal all her past demerit, What place of Hell she meetly should inherit; He summons each in turn to judgment; quailing The will to accomplish: more may not be learned.' And now the voice of lamentation gaineth An entrance at mine ear, and I am taken It was a region of all light forsaken, Which like the ocean when the tempest waxes, The infernal hurricane, which ne'er relaxes, 10 20 30 Then they, the rocky precipices nearing, There utter shriek and plaint and lamentation, There they blaspheme the Power divine unfearing. To which the carnal sinners' souls are given No comfort have they: every hope is wanting 40 Then I, 'O Master, give me information 50 "The first of those whose histories' narration Thou ask'st,' he said, with answer not deferred, That she was Ninus' spouse and his successor, 60 And full a thousand he with finger showed me, 70 Then I, who on my master's words bestowed me, Speak with those two, who go together wailing, Will come.' And when the wind had swept them whither With wings firm opened, from their airy wheeling So from the ranks where bideth Dido, stealing They came toward us through the air malignant; 'O living soul, most gracious and benignant, 80 Who with our blood stained earth; were not indignant 90 Heaven's King against us, we would make petition Unto him for the grace which thou desirest, Who hast had pity of our sad condition. Whate'er to hear or speak of thou aspirest, That will we hear and speak to thee, while tarries As now it doth, the blast of vengeance direst. Our land upon its seaward margin carries The place where I was born, where Po descendeth There to have quiet with its tributaries. Love, that so quick the tender spirit bendeth, 100 Seized him for that fair form, which was removed From me, whereof the manner yet offendeth. Love, that from love excuseth no one loved, Me with his pleasant looks so fascinated But when I heard those wronged souls' disaster I bowed my head, in such a posture lowly 110 That soon, 'What thinkest thou?' inquired my Master. And when I answer made, 'O melancholy!' I said, 'What sweet thoughts, what endearments winning And then I turned towards them, thus beginning, 120 That knows thy guide. But since thy wish so presses His kiss toward the smile for which he longed, 130 140 MUSINGS OVER THE CHRISTIAN YEAR FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER. THE first Sunday after Easter has no less than three poems by Mr. Keble, if we reckon with the others one in the Child's Christian Year, which we believe is really one of his earliest poems. The subject of both this and of that in the Lyra is Faith-both alike being in accordance with the Epistle for the day, with its 'Victory that overcometh the world, even our Faith;' and the proclamation of that Faith in the words, 'There are Three that bear witness in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these Three are One: and there are three that bear witness on earth, the Spirit, the Water, and the Blood.' The analogy between the Witness in Heaven and Earth, is the subject of the early poem we mentioned. 'Our God in glory sits on high; Man may not see and live: That witness is the Holy Spirit in man's heart, the Water of Baptism, and the cleansing Blood by which the Holy Spirit purifies the soul Will come.' And when the wind had swept them whither They came toward us through the air malignant; 'O living soul, most gracious and benignant, 80 Who with our blood stained earth; were not indignant 90 Heaven's King against us, we would make petition Unto him for the grace which thou desirest, Who hast had pity of our sad condition. Whate'er to hear or speak of thou aspirest, That will we hear and speak to thee, while tarries As now it doth, the blast of vengeance direst. Our land upon its seaward margin carries The place where I was born, where Po descendeth Love, that so quick the tender spirit bendeth, 100 Seized him for that fair form, which was removed From me, whereof the manner yet offendeth. Love, that from love excuseth no one loved, Me with his pleasant looks so fascinated But when I heard those wronged souls' disaster I bowed my head, in such a posture lowly 110 That soon, 'What thinkest thou?' inquired my Master. And when I answer made, ‘O melancholy !' I said, 'What sweet thoughts, what endearments winning And then I turned towards them, thus beginning, 120 |