He might have translated Metastasio tolerably.

But he was utterly unable to do justice to the "rime e aspre e chiocce, "Come si converrebbe al tristo buco." (Inferno, canto xxxii.) I turn with pleasure from these wretched performances to Mr Cary's translation.

It is a work which well deserves a separate discussion, and on which, if this article were not already too long, I could dwell with great pleasure.

At present I will only say that there is no other version in the world, as far as I know, so faithful, yet that there is no other version which so fully proves that the translator is himself a man of poetical genius.

Those who are ignorant of the Italian language should read it to become acquainted with the Divine Comedy.