which comprise

over three hundred

folio volumes, written between 1265 and 1436, should be principally occupied with the records of the university-the famous scholars who came and went, the books of the day, and all sorts of matter pertaining to the intellectual life of the place. Certain treasures of these archives had already been made use of by Carducci in his "Intorno ad alcune rime dei sec. XIII. e XIV. ritrovate nei Memoriali," by Gozzadini in "Delle torri gentilizie di Bologna," and by Dr. Orioli in "Documenti bolognesi sulla fazione dei Bianchi," when it occurred to Signor Livi to look for records of the presence of Dante in the city, or even for mention of his name or works.

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Because it is known that Dante studied abroad, both in his youth and during his exile, it has been assumed that he visited the university of Bologna. This assumption is based quite as much on the fame of the university, being such as would naturally attract a man of Dante's inquiring mind as on the fact that the poet in his writings shows himself to be familiar with the city and the method of instruction there. compares the giant Antæus to the Torre di Garisenda (Inferno, XXXI. 136); gives a bit of university doctrine (Inferno, XXIII., 140); and knowingly refers to one of the Ghibelline Lambertazzi of Bologna (Purgatorio, XIV., 100). Fraticelli, however, is undoubtedly right in saying that there is no "direct. and positive" evidence that Dante was ever in Bologna.

If Dante studied there in his youth, it must have been between 1285 and 1301, the date of his marriage, or, in his exile between 1302 and 1321, the year of his death. Signor Livi searched the "Memoriali" covering these years and found nothing. Then he looked farther and came upon an insertion bearing the date of May 6, 1325, which made known the fact that on the preceding day a certain

contract had been repudiated before the notary Bartolommeo Tettacapre, at the office of the "Memoriali." The record made note that a certain druggist of Padova, named Antonio Liculfo, declared that he had received from Carlo Lapo of Florence, then living in Bologna, in the parish of Santa Maria di Porta Ravegnana, a number of articles, among which was "Unum librum vocatum 'linferno de Danti,' cum assidibus albis" (with affixed price). Unfortunately the "affixed price" is not recorded. Considering how valuable this datum would be to-day, the omission was a great oversight on the part of the notaro. Signor Livi thinks it not improbable that the book referred to really contained the entire "Commedia," but that the inscription or title page was missing; hence it was entered in the inventory simply as "linferno de Danti."

The pages of the "Memoriali" of about this date show that certain of the notaries who kept the records were no mean versifiers, and that some even attempted to decorate the leaves with drawings. In most cases the sketches bear no relation to the text. Signor Livi reproduces a page dated 1324 showing a group of ladies and gentlemen. It is curious but bears no relation to our subject. Then there is a page bearing the date of 1323, surmounted by two figures. The one on the left is in student garb and kneeling; the one on the right appears to be a portly dame seated and holding a wreath in her hands. The abbreviations which accompany the picture and text are interpreted to mean: "I, Uguccione Bambaglioli, wrote, designed and rubricated this on such and such a day."

Now, Dante first as a poet, and then as a man of learning and a politician, was well known by fame to the Bolognesi. As early as 1292, Pietro di Allegranza had transcribed certain fragments of one of the poems of the "Vita Nuova" in

these very "Memoriali." In 1317 a local scholar and poet, del Virgilio, had addressed to him two odes showing how favorably the learned city regarded the exiled Florentine, and hoped for his early presence. The first even makes a definite promise to present him to the university and have him "crowned with laurel." And five months after Dante's death in Ravenna, this same Giovanni del Virgilio, this great admirer and friend of the poet, was signally honored by the university. Bolognesi like him by birth, abode and education were Uguccione Bambaglioli and Jacopo della Cana, whose commentary of the "Commedia" was composed between 1323 and 1328.

The conclusion that the pictures made by Uguccione Bambaglioli in 1323 represent Dante being crowned with laurel by Bologna is reached mainly through a process of exclusion-they could not mean anything else. Moreover, the figure said to portray the kneeling Dante bears a strong resemblance to a line drawing known to be Dante in a codex of the latter part of the fourteenth century-even as though the same pen traced both pictures. Signor Livi hardly goes so far as to affirm that the sketches in the "Memoriali" were taken "from life." The figure on the right is believed to symbolize the city of Bologna, on account of a familiar epithet of the scholars of the day, "Bologna la grassa" (Bologna the abundant) finding in it simple identification. Brunetto Latini, from whom Dante received considerable instruction in the languages and sciences, speaks of the university city in his "Trésor" written in French as "Boloigne la grasse." It follows that if one admits the authenticity of the pictures then one must also admit that they record or symbolize an actual event, and that Giovanni del Virgilio's invitation was accepted, and that Dante some time between 1317 and 1321 went

to or returned to Bologna and there received the crown of laurel.

But aside from these last conjectures and while admitting the isolated interest of the presence of the "Commedia," in whole or in part, in Bologna as early as 1325, the main point made by Signor Livi is the plausible identification of the pictures in the "Memoriali" of 1323. In pressing his theory the investigator does not take full advantage of what he has reasonably proved. He thinks the sketch by Uguccione Bambaglioli forms, at least, "a new and almost synchronous commentary to the verses of Giovanni del Virgilio," and, "in the great series of 'iconografia dantesca,' from point of view of chronology, the first post after the Giotto portrait." Many Danteists, however, would say that it antedated this well-known picture in the Florentine Bargello by fourteen years.

Until the announcement of Signor Livi's discovery there were three portraits of Dante which had been put forward by scholars as more or less authentic-made directly from the man in life or from sketches that had been made from life. First of these is the portrait attributed to Giotto on the walls of the Bargello in Florence and generally believed to have been painted about 1302. Then there is the portrait in the "Riccardian Codex" believed by some to have been executed in 1327. Finally there is the portrait by one of theOrcagne in the Strozzi Chapel of the Santa Maria Novella, Florence, the identification of which by Prof. Chiappelli about eighteen months ago created much comment.

The last-named portrait could not have been made prior to 1350, at which time Nardo and Andrea di Cione Orcagna were commissioned to paint a "Gloria" or "Paradiso" on the walls of the chapel. It is an evident copy of the Bargello fresco, even in point of raiment, for it shows the poet with a Byzantine hood, and not with the cap and tippet of

a Renaissance doctor of divinity-as all other portraits and sculptures, save the Bargello picture, reveal him. Although the likeness in the "Riccardian Codex" was honored by the Florentine government in 1864 by being selected as the model for the medallion struck in honor of the sixth century of Dante's birth, its date is not well authenticated, not only owing to the fact that the figure is in Renaissance garb, but more particularly because the "Codex" in question also includes the "Trionfi del Petrarca" written by Bese Ardighelli, certainly not earlier than 1470.

It is more than probable that the portrait commonly ascribed to Giotto was actually painted by this artist's favorite pupil, Taddeo Gaddi, as late as 1337. It shows a face even younger than the poet's would have been in 1302. Although in 1302, Giotto was actually commissioned to paint a "Paradiso" in the chapel of the Podestà, which later was to become the Bargello, it is extremely unlikely that he included Dante among the dramatis personæ. At that time Dante had already begun his exile, and had been condemned by the city to be burned if captured. This "Paradiso," which was completed in 1304 or 5, was partially destroyed by fire in 1332. Giotto died in 1336. In the following year Gaddi was ordered to repair the damage to the fresco. It is not conceivable that any artist would have had the hardihood to paint a portrait of the great exile into the picture, between the date of his condemnation and his death. But in 1337, sixteen years after the latter event, the attitude of Florence toward

him had undergone a great change. She was then on her knees to Ravenna begging his bones. What was more natural, therefore, than for Gaddi, in restoring the fresco of his master to have painted in a portrait of Dante? Gaddi had in his possession the late artist's sketches and drawings. Among them, it is quite likely there was a life sketch of the poet done years before-even at the time the "Vita Nuova" was written and this sketch may have served as Gaddi's model. This assumption is not only fortified by the fact that Dante and Giotto were close friends-he visited him in Padova in 1306-but receives artistic confirmation when we consider that the Bargello picture, which has every characteristic of being a true portrait, could not have been painted into the Giotto "Paradiso" at a timewhen its youthful features were synchronous with those of the living Dante.

Further information concerning Signor Livi's "find" will be awaited with some eagerness. One is ready to admit that the picture in the Bologna "Memoriali" actually represents Dante being crowned by the city, and that, being executed in 1323, it is the most ancient representation of the poet that is known to be preserved; still, this picture penned two years after Dante's death is purely imaginative. Dante during his exile wore a beard. This fact, it seems to me, is hardly regarded with sufficient importance by the searchers after authentic portraits of the famous Florentine. It is for a "Dante con la barba" that they should look.

A

FTER three years' delay the Blackmore memorial has been finally installed in Exeter Cathedral. American as well as English admirers promptly responded to the appeal for funds. A design for an ornate marble statue was prepared but the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral declined to admit so elaborate a memorial, granting permission only for a simple marble tablet with a medallion portrait and stained

glass window. The medallion here pictured, is considered an exceptional likeness, the more creditable that the sculptor, Mr. Harry Hems, had but one small portrait for his model. Mr. Blackmore was always adverse to being photographed or painted.

The background of the tablet is a slab of black alabaster, quarried, after much difficulty, from the rugged cliffs upon the north Somerset shore at Blue An