aken place in the fortunes of his descendants
during that long space of time.

_Canto XXVII._ After listening enraptured to the melody of the
heavenly choir chanting "Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to
the Holy Ghost," Dante gazes upon the four worthies near him, who glow
and shine like torches, while "silence reigns in heaven." Then St.
Peter, changing color, holds forth against covetousness, and expounds
the doctrine of apostolic succession. Because the early popes died as
martyrs, he considers it a disgrace that their successors should be
guilty of misgovernment. He adds that the keys bestowed upon him
should never figure on banners used in waging unrighteous wars, and
that his effigy on the papal seal should never appear on worldly
documents.

Then Beatrice affords Dante a glimpse of the earth from the Straits of
Gibraltar to the Bosphorus, and, when this vision ends, wafts him up
into the ninth heaven, the Primum Mobile, or spot whence all motion
starts, although itself remains immovable.

Here is the goal, whence motion on his race
Starts: motionless the centre, and the rest
All moved around.

_Canto XXVIII._ From this point Dante watches the universe spin around
him, until "she who doth emparadise my soul" draws aside the veil of
mortality, and allows him to perceive nine concentric spheres of
multitudinous angels constantly revolving around a dazzling point
while singing "Hosanna!" These are the heavenly host, the hierarchy of
angels, Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominations, Virtues, Powers,
Princedoms, Archangels, and Angels, in charge of the various circles
which compose Dante's Paradise.

_Canto XXIX._ Able to read Dante's thoughts, Beatrice explains some of
the things he would fain know, and disperses his doubts, cautioning
him, if he would be blessed, to rid himself of every atom of pride,
since that caused even angels to fall!

_Canto XXX._ Once more Dante's eyes are fixed upon Beatrice, whose
beauty far transcends his powers of description, and is by her
conveyed into the next circle, the Empyrean, or heaven of pure light,
into which he is told to plunge as into a river. Eagerly quaffing its
ethereal waters to satisfy his ardent thirst for knowledge, Dante
beholds the court of Heaven, and descries its myriads of thrones, all
occupied by redeemed spirits. These thrones are grouped around a
brilliant centre (God) so as to form a dazzling jewelled rose.

_Canto XXXI._ Robed in snowy