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is especially profound, for all mystics are essentially poets. Henry Sedgwick's suggestion to the unitiated that the best introduction to Dante is to read the classic mysticsSt. Augustine, Julian of Norwich, Ruysbroeck-is eminently sound. ("Dante: Teacher of the Spiritual Life," p. 176.) Dr. Gardner has shown the indebtedness of Dante to the mystics; and Jules Pacheu, in his Psychologie des Mystiques Chrétiens: Dante et les Mystiques, presents a fascinating comparative study of the pilgrimage of the human soul as seen in the "Divine Comedy," the "Confessions" of St. Augustine, the "Life" of St. Theresa, and the "Exercises" of St. Ignatius. That Dante should have been a mystic should not surprise us. The affinity between poetry and mysticism is intimate. St. Francis of Assisi, Jacopone Da Todi, St. John of the Cross, were poets as well as mystics; Michael Angelo, Francis Thompson, Browning, Shelley and Wordsworth were mystics as well as poets. Carducci said that Dante was "essentially religious"-we should say that he possessed the religious consciousness in his highest development— and that is always mystical. Dante's environment was steeped in the spiritual. It was an age of religious contemplation. It was, in fact, the golden age of mysticism. Mysticism had created the Gothic cathedral, Franciscanism, the legend of the Holy Grail, the worship of the Virgin Mary.

Consider, briefly, the characteristics of mysticism.1 The mystic believes intensely in the Eternal; and with the Infinite Glory he believes it is possible to enjoy complete union. To possess this unio mystica means not simply to be in a moral or even, in the ordinary sense, a religious

1The characteristics of mysticism may be adequately studied in Dean Inge's "Christian Mysticism"; Evelyn Underhill's "Mysticism"; E. I. Watkin's "The Philosophy of Mysticism," and, indespensably, Baron Von Hügel's "The Mystic Element in Religion."

harmony with God, but, in the familiar phrase of the mystics, to be "substantially oned with Him." It is believed that by the achievement of this union the human personality is transformed into the divine, not, however, in Christian mysticism, to the extent of losing its identity. The mystic conceives the spiritual life as a mutual quest: God-"the house of heaven" of Francis Thompson-pursuing man; and man engaged in an itinerarium mentis in deum, a navigatio ad patriam-according to Pacheu, "a pilgrimage of an inward Odyssey." It is a “love-mystery"-love being on both sides the motive for the quest. This unio, this visio Dei, is attained, however, not by the discursive reason, but by the intuition. In this search for God, the soul passes through certain more or less clearly defined psychological stages, summed up as purgation (or reformation), illumination (or elevation), union (or transformation).

Harnack avers ("Hist. Dog.," vol. vi, p. 98) that mysticism is essentially Catholic. Dr. Preserved Smith in his new book ("The Reformation," p. 29) describes mysticism as the "efflorescence of Catholic piety par excellence." That the Church has afforded the best environment for the development of the mystic life is evidenced by the fact that the most complete mystics have been loyal churchmen and churchwomen-St. Augustine, St. Francis of Assisi, Dante, St. Catherine of Sienna, St. Theresa and many others.

Dr. Norton affirmed that "it is needful to know Dante as man in order fully to appreciate him as poet." Of Dante's external life, however, we possess scarcely more information than we do in the case of Plato or Shakespeare. Nevertheless it is an accepted canon of Dantian interpretation to regard the poet's works, particularly the "New Life," the "Banquet" and the "Divine Comedy," as "confessions." But Dante confesses not so much that

which is peculiar to him, as that which is representative of humanity. What God has done for Dante, he would say, He will do for all mankind. Thus Dante's works are valuable documents for the study of the development of the mystic ideal. Limitation of space permits only to indicate the salient stages of the development of this ideal in Dante from its awakening to its achievement in the vision of God.

"Here beginneth the New Life." What is the significance of this "spotless lily of books"? In ethereal verse and majestic prose the author tells a simple tale of love: how love was awakened in him by Beatrice in their youths; how it deepened in him; how, after her early death, Beatrice became, to his imagination, metamorphosized into an angel of God; and how he resolved "to write of her what had never before been written of any woman' (N. L. xliii). Influenced undoubtedly by his deep attachment to the Blessed Virgin, the poet, first having loved her human graces and beauty, believed, mystically-wise, that Beatrice had become deified. The mystical effect of the book is enhanced by the employment of visions, occult numbers, allegory, and the "sweet, new style." Controversy has ever raged round the interpretation of this book. Mysticism will help us here. Beatrice is both a human person and a symbol. She is human love leading to divine love. She is Christ elevating human love to the love of God. The l'intelletto d'amore, the genius of love, is the beginning and the end of all mysticism; so is it with Dante. The "New Life" was the beginning of that mystic love which, aroused by Beatrice, urged the poet to go on the pilgrimage the fruition of which was the lumen gloriae.

The "Divine Comedy" has often been described as the "New Life" writ large. That there should be a multitude of interpretation of this epic is inevitable, for the poet

himself has left the way open for a variety of opinions as to its ultimate signification. In his famous letter dedicating the Paradiso to Lord Can Grande he explains that his work has "more senses than one"; namely, a literal and an allegorical or mystical sense. Literally, the subject of the whole work is "the state of souls after death"; allegorically, "the subject is man, as by good or ill deserts, in the exercise of the freedom of choice, he becomes liable to rewarding or punishing justice." Of the mystical character of the poem he reminds the reader in two passages of the poem itself:

"O ye who have undistempered intellects,
Observe the doctrine that conceals itself
Beneath the veil of the mysterious verses!"
-Inf. ix. 61-3.

"Here, reader, fix thine eyes well on the truth,
For now indeed so subtile is the veil,
Surely to penetrate within is easy."

-Purg. viii. 18-20.

Subjectum est homo. The subject of the "Divine Comedy" is the drama of the human soul developing its personality through the revelation of divine love. The spiritual development is with the mystics an inward pilgrimage, a scala amoris. The mystic makes heroic efforts to mount the scala perfectionis in order to attain that state of holy affection which results from seeing God. The scene of the quest is therefore in eternity. The "Comedy" depicts the psychological conditions of the soul which are theologically termed sin, redemption and salvation; and mystically, purgation, illumination, and union. The pilgrimage demands first a consciousness of that which kills every stimulus amoris and thus makes any union with God impossible-sin. The Inferno is that state, whether literal or mystical, where love is absent. It is the eternal abode

of those who have fostered not the love of God; it is the condition of the average sensual man, content with the finite.

The keynote of the Purgatorio is struck by the opening words:

"And I will sing of the second kingdom
Where the human soul is purified

And becomes worthy to mount to Heaven."
-Purg. i. 4-6.

"No one," says the Theologia Germanica, "can be enlightened unless he be first cleansed or purified and stripped." (14) "Suffering," said Blessed Henry Suso, "is the ancient law of love." Purification through pain, joyfully endured, is the theme of the Purgatorio. This cantica therefore represents the movement of the soul from conversion to innocence regained (Earthly Paradise). St. Francis said, "Set love in order, thou that lovest men." The ethical and mystical setting of love in order; the harmonizing of all loves with the love of God, is the meaning of the Purgatorio. It is the supernatural adventure for the freedom by which the soul finally touches the Infinite. "He goes seeking freedom," says Dante (Purg. i. 7). Conversion is necessary because, while goodness is not the mystic's object, but love of God, only the pure in heart see God. The mystic purgation, however painful, is nevertheless a state of joy, and this paradox Dante works out by making his Purgatorio a place of much refinement, beauty and happiness. Indeed the marked fastidiousness which the poet exhibits in the many tender and lovely aspects of the Purgatorio is in conformity with the best mystic traditions as to the purgation stage. So here, co-operating grace being ever present, there is peace, resignation and hope. Having then been led by Virgil-human reason-through the Purgatorio up to the Earthly Paradise, the seat of innocence,

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