“An amorous spirit in my heart who lay
    I felt awaken from his slumber there;
    And then I saw Love come from far away,
    But scarce I knew him for his joyous air.

  “‘Honor to me,’ he said, ‘think now to pay,’
    And all his words with smiles companioned were. 
    Then as my lord awhile with me did stay,
    Along the way whence he appeared whilere

  “The Lady Joan and Lady Bice I see,
    Coming toward the place wherein I was;
    And the two marvels side by side did move.

  “Then, as my mind now tells it unto me,
    Love said, ’This one is Spring, and this, because
    She so resembleth me, is named Love.’"[T]

[Footnote T:  See the charming Sonnet lii.:—­

“Guido vorrei che tu, e Lappo, ed io.”
]

After this sonnet, Dante enters on a long and fanciful discourse on the use of figurative language, to explain how he speaks of Love as if it were not a mere notion of the intellect, but as if it had a corporeal existence.  There is much curious matter in this dissertation, and it is one of the most striking examples that could be found of the youthful character of the literature at the time in which Dante was writing, and of the little familiarity which those in whose hands his book was likely to fall possessed of the common forms of poetry, and of the style of the ancient Latin poets.

Returning from this digression, he says:  “This most gentle lady, of whom there has been discourse in what precedes, reached such favor among the people, that when she passed along the way persons ran to see her, which gave me wonderful delight.  And when she was near any one, such modesty took possession of his heart, that he did not dare to raise his eyes or to return her salutation; and to this, should any one doubt it, many, as having experienced it, could bear witness for me.  She, crowned and clothed with humility, took her way, displaying no pride in that which she saw and heard.  Many, when she had passed, said, ’This is not a woman; rather is she one of the most beautiful angels of heaven.’  Others said, ’She is a miracle.  Blessed be the Lord who can perform such a marvel!’ I say that she showed herself so gentle and so full of all beauties, that those who looked on her felt within themselves a delight so pure and sweet that they could not smile; nor was there any who could look at her and not feel need at first to sigh.  These and more wonderful things proceeded from her, marvellously and in reality.  Wherefore I, thinking on all this, proposed to say some words, in which I would exhibit her marvellous and excellent influences, to the end that not only those who might actually behold her, but also others, might know of her whatever words could tell.  Then I wrote this sonnet:—­

  “So gentle and so modest doth appear
  My lady when she giveth her salute,
  That every tongue becometh trembling
     mute,
  Nor do the eyes to look upon her dare.