problem, yet he does not really succeed in solving it;
for his method could not fail to be shackled by the
errors that belonged to the teaching of his time. But
it is just this fundamental idea that reveals to us the
boldness of his mind. He was the first among his
countrymen to put a conscious theory in the place of
the irregular use of the volgare; his little book con-
tains the first scientific treatment of the Italian lan-
guage, and it is at the same time the first example of
a regular Ars poëtica for any vulgar tongue, after the
manner of those that had previously been compiled for
Latin only. And thus, owing to Dante's original in-
tellect, Italian poetry, that began latest among the
Romance languages, first and almost at its commence-
ment came to be combined with reflection and with the
theory of art.

On one occasion, when Dante was in Mantua, there
arose a certain question regarding the place and figure
of the two elements, water and earth. The point of this
question was, whether the water, in its sphere, or in its
natural circumference, was in any part higher than the
earth emerging from the waters and usually denomi-
nated the "habitable quadrant." Some argued in the
affirmative, adducing many grounds in support of their
opinion. Whence Dante, " having from his childhood
been continually nurtured in the love of truth, could
not bear to leave said question undiscussed." And so,
both from love of the truth, and still more from hatred
of falsehood, he "resolved to demonstrate the truth
regarding that question, and to answer the arguments

-218-