o believe that it was that
of Adam. But we whose country is the world, as the sea is for
fishes, although we drank of the Arno before we were weaned, and so
love Florence that because we loved it we suffer exile unjustly,
support our judgment by reason rather than feeling. And though in
respect to our pleasure and the repose of our senses, no sweeter
place exists on earth than Florence, ... yet we hold it for certain
that there are many more delightful regions and cities than Tuscany
and Florence, where I was born and of which I am a citizen, and
that many nations and people use a more pleasing and serviceable
speech than the Italians."

The conclusion of this speculation is, that the Hebrew, which was the
original language spoken by Adam, was preserved by the Hebrew people
after the confusion of tongues at the building of the Tower of Babel,
and thus became the language used by our Redeemer,--the language not of
confusion but of grace.

But the purpose of the present treatise is not to consider all the
divers languages even of Europe, but only that of Italy. Yet in Italy
alone there is an immense variety of speech, and no one of the varieties
is the true Italian language. That true, illustrious, courtly tongue is
to be found nowhere in common use, but everywhere in select usage. It is
the common speech "freed from rude words, involved constructions,
defective pronunciation, and rustic accent; excellent, clear, perfect,
urbane, and elect, as it may be seen in the poems of 'Cino da Pistoia
and his friend,'"--that friend being Dante himself. They have attained
to the glory of the tongue, and "how glorious truly it renders its
servants we ourselves know, who to the sweetness of its glory hold our
exile as naught."[7] This illustrious language, then, is the select
Italian tongue, the tongue of the excellent poets in every part of
Italy; and how and by whom it is to be used it is the purpose of this
treatise to show.

The second book begins with the doctrine that the best speech is
appropriate to the best conceptions; but the best conceptions exist only
where there is learning and genius, and the best speech is consequently
that only of those who possess them, and only the best subjects are
worthy of being treated in it. These subjects fall under three heads:
that of utility, or safety, which it is the object of arms to secure;
that of delight, which is the end of love; th