The Italian poet,
Sordello, who wrote in Provencal, may be regarded as the connecting
link, and the forerunner of the great Italians. He died in the year of
grace 1270, and Dante, who was almost a contemporary, immortalised his
name in the _Divine Comedy_. The doctrine on which the _dolce stil
nuovo_ was based pointed to the love of a noble heart as the source of
all perfection in heaven and earth. Purely spiritual woman-worship was
regarded as an absolute virtue. The words of the last of the Provencal
troubadours, Guirot Riquier, "Love is the doctrine of all sublime
things"--was developed into a philosophy. I will quote a few
characteristic verses, omitting Dante for the present. One of the finest
lyric poems of all tongues and ages, written by Guido Guinicelli, begins
as follows:
Within the gentle heart love shelters him,
As birds within the green shades of the grove;
Before the gentle heart in nature's scheme
Love was not, or the gentle heart ere love.
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