{"product_id":"dante-his-times-and-his-work-gb-27999","title":"Dante: His Times and His Work","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDante: His Times and His Work\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis little book is mainly compounded of papers which appeared, part in\r\nthe Monthly Packet, and part in the Magazine of the Home Reading\r\nUnion. It will be seen, therefore, that it is not intended for those\r\nwhom Italians call Dantists, but for students at an early stage of\r\ntheir studies. To the former class there will be nothing in the book\r\nthat is not already familiarexcept where they happen to find mistakes,\r\nfrom which, in so extensive a field for blundering as Dante affords, I\r\ncannot hope to have kept it free. In the domain of history alone fresh\r\nfacts are constantly rewarding the indefatigable research of German and\r\nItalian scholarsa research of which only the most highly specialised\r\nspecialist can possibly keep abreast. Even since the following pages\r\nwere for the most part in print, we have had Professor Villaris Two\r\nCenturies of Florentine[vi] History, correcting in many particulars the\r\nchroniclers on whom the Dante student has been wont to rely. This book\r\nshould most emphatically be added to those named in the appendix as\r\nessential to the study of our author.\nIn connection with some of the remarks in the opening chapter, Professor\r\nButchers Essay on The Dawn of Romanticism in Greek Poetry should be\r\nnoticed. I do not think that the accomplished authors view is\r\nincompatible with mine; though I admit that I had not taken much account\r\nof the Greek writers whom we call post-classical. But it is to be\r\nnoted, as bearing on the question raised in the second footnote on p. 9,\r\nthat most or all of the writers whom he cites were either Asiatics or\r\nnearly touched by Asiatic influences.\nI have made some attempt to deal in a concise way with two subjects\r\nwhich have not, I think, hitherto been handled in English books on\r\nDante, other than translations. One of these is the development of the\r\nGuelf and Ghibeline struggle from a rivalry between two German houses to\r\na partisan warfare which rent Italy for generations. I am quite aware\r\nthat I have merely touched the surface[vii] of the subject, which seems to\r\nme to contain in it the essence of all political philosophy, with\r\nspecial features such as could only exist in a country which, like\r\nItaly, had, after giving the law to the civilised world, been unable to\r\nconsolidate itself into a nation like the other nations of Europe. I\r\nhave, I find, even omitted to notice what seem to have been the ruling\r\naims of at any rate the honest partisans on either side: unity, that of\r\nthe Ghibelines; independence, that of the Guelfs. Nor have I drawn\r\nattention to a remarkable trait in Dantes own character, which, so far\r\nas I know, has never been discussedI mean his apparent disregard of\r\nthe lower classes. Except for one or two similes drawn from the\r\nvillano and his habits, and one or two contemptuous allusions to\r\nMonna Berta e Ser Martino and their like, it would seem as if for him\r\nthe world consisted of what now would be called the upper ten\r\nthousand. In an ordinary politician or partisan, or even in a mere man\r\nof letters this would not be strange; but when we reflect that Dante was\r\na man who went deeply into social and religious questions, that he was\r\nborn less than forty years after the death of St. Francis,[viii] and was at\r\nleast closely enough associated with Franciscans for legend to make him\r\na member of the order, and that most of the so-called heretical sects of\r\nthe timePaterines, Cathari, Poor Menstarted really more from social\r\nthan from religious discontent, it is certainly surprising that his\r\ninterest in the dim, common populations should have been so slight.\n\u003cb\u003e ......Buy Now (To Read More)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eProduct details\u003ch3\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEbook Number\u003c\/b\u003e: 27999 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor\u003c\/b\u003e: Butler, Arthur John \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eRelease Date\u003c\/b\u003e: Feb 4, 2009 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat\u003c\/b\u003e: eBook \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage\u003c\/b\u003e: English \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Butler, Arthur John,1844-1910 \/ eBook \/ English","offer_id":43218990170269,"sku":"gb-27999-ebook","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/products\/27999.jpg?v=1671511541","url":"https:\/\/booksdeli.com\/products\/dante-his-times-and-his-work-gb-27999","provider":"booksdeli.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}