e takes it by assault, without offering battle: the heart is
unable to resist him.--("Spiritual Torrents.")

Thus you can understand the sense of the following figure, legend and
sonnet, which says:--

49.

I fought with all my strength, 'gainst Love Divine
When he assailed with blows from every side
This cold, enamelled, adamantine heart,
Whence my desires defeated his intent.
At last, one day, 'twas as the heavens had willed.
Encamped I found him in those holy lights
Which, through mine own alone, of all the rest
An easy entrance to my heart could find.
'Twas then upon me fell that double bolt,
Flung as from hand of irate warrior
Who had for thirty years besieged in vain.
He marked that place and strongly there he held,
Planted the trophy there, and evermore
He holds my fleet wings in restrainment.
Meanwhile since then with more solemnity of preparation
The anger and the ire of my sweet enemy
Cease not to wound my heart.

Rare moment was that; the end of the beginning and perfection of
victory; rare were those two species which amongst all others found easy
entrance, seeing that they contain in themselves the efficacy and the
virtue of all the others; for what higher and more excellent form can
present itself than that of the beauty, goodness and truth, which are
the source of every other truth, beauty, and goodness? "He marked that
place"--that is, took possession of the affections, noted them, and
impressed upon them his own character; "and strongly there he held;" he
confirmed and established them and sanctified them so that he can never
again lose them; for it is not possible that one should turn to love any
other thing when once he has conceived in his mind the Divine Beauty,
and it is as impossible that he can do other than love it, as it is
impossible that his desires should fall otherwise than towards good, or
species of good. Therefore his inclination is in the highest degree
towards the primal good. So again, the wings, which used to be so fleet
to go downwards with the weight of matter, are kept in restrainment, and
the sweet augers which are the efficacious assaults of the gracious
enemy, who has been for so long time kept back, and excluded, a stranger
and a pilgrim, never cease to wound, soliciting the affections and
awakening thought. But now, the sole and entire possessor and disposer
of the soul, for she neither wills nor