. Poetical works of James Montgomery . hough but a ray of uncreated glory,Sent from the fountain-head of Hfe and power,It forms a circle, whose circumferenceWould be too wide a girdle for the sun:And, as a clifTin water, from its down upon its height in that broad seems therein contemplating its verdure clothes, what flowers its flanks , standing round about that sea of glass,As many souls as earth hath sent to ten thousand thrones and more, beheldTheir happy semblances reflected there. If, round its lowest stem such pomp appear,What must t
. Poetical works of James Montgomery . hough but a ray of uncreated glory,Sent from the fountain-head of Hfe and power,It forms a circle, whose circumferenceWould be too wide a girdle for the sun:And, as a clifTin water, from its down upon its height in that broad seems therein contemplating its verdure clothes, what flowers its flanks , standing round about that sea of glass,As many souls as earth hath sent to ten thousand thrones and more, beheldTheir happy semblances reflected there. If, round its lowest stem such pomp appear,What must the full-expanded fohage showOf that celestial rose ?* and yet my sight,Through its whole amplitude and elevation,Gazed unbewilderd ; yea, at once took inThe measure and the amount of all that joy. Del Paradiso, canto xxx. * This refers to a dry conceit, which runs through much of the Paradiso, ar-ranging the happy spirits throughout the various heavens, in different forms,auch as an eagle, a cross, &c., and here a rose. VOL. I. 33. THE PORTAL OF HELL. Awfully contrasted with the foregoing dazzling spectacle, but far more real inits picturesque and imaginable grandeur, is the famous description of the en-trance upon the infernal regions. Through me, ye go into the doleful city, Through me, ye go into eternal pain, Tlirough me, ye go among the lost for ever: Twas justice moved my Founder; Power divine, Infinite Wisdom and primeval Love, Ordaind and fixd me here. Before me naught That is existed, save eternal things. And I unto eternity endure ; —Abandon every hope, all ye that enter! These words in sombre colours I beheldInscribed upon the summit of a portal: Tis a hard sentence. Master ! I exclaimd;When he, like one of ready speech, replied:Leave all mistrust, all base misgiving now have reachd the place of which I told thee,Where thou shalt see the miserable throngsWho mourn the loss of intellectual good. Then straightway, in his hand enclasping mine,With brightening
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