La gran varïazion de’ freschi mai.[273] which drew Dante’s wondering eyes across the stream to where Matelda tripped singing through the painted meadow— Cantando ed iscegliendo fior da fiore Ond’ era pinta tutta la sua via.[274] Again, a somewhat terse definition of Paradise in Barnabas reminds one of a still shorter phrase of Dante’s. The author of the _De Vulgari Eloquentia_ describes the home which man forfeited by his first sin as “delitiarum patria[275]” while for Barnabas, “Il parradisso he chassa doue DIO chonsserva le sui delitie[276]”; or, as he puts it further on “DIO ha chreato il parradisso per chassa delle sui delitie.”[277] But the heavenly Paradise of the Empyrean is also described by Dante in material phrase as “God’s garden.” “Questo giardino”[278] is the name by which Saint Bernard designates the Mystic Rose, as he unveils its mysteries to Dante; and already in the Eighth Heaven Beatrice had essayed to divert the Poet’s gaze from her own loveliness— ... al bel giardino Che sotto i raggi di Cristo s’ infiora.[279] Here we may note that in Barnabas[280] GOD (not Christ, of course) is the sun of Paradise, while Mohammed is its moon. But there is another passage in the _Paradiso_, where Dante himself is speaking in answer to Saint John’s catechizing: a passage which may well detain us a little longer. Here Paradise is described in so many words as the “Garden of the Eternal Gardener”— Le fronde onde s’ infronda tutto l’ orto De l’ ortolano etterno, am’ io cotanto, Quanto da lui a lor di bene è porto.[281] Is it fanciful to see a subtle resemblance—in thought, perhaps, more than in phrase (though Dante’s symbolic meaning is wanting)—in Barnabas’ description of Paradise as a place “doue ... ogni chossa he _frutuossa, di fruti proportionati ha cholui che lo ha choltiuato_?”[282] There emerge, at any rate, from both passages, the thought of the Divine Gardener ... and of a _proportion_ for which He is in some way responsible. But perhaps a more striking coincidence—if coincidence it be—is that between the answer given to a problem raised by Saint Bartholomew in Barnabas and the assurance vouchsafed by Piccarda[283] in resolution of Dante’s difficulty concerning degrees of glory in Heaven. “O Master,” says Bartholomew,[284] “shall the glory of Paradise be equal for every man? If it be equal, it will not be just, and if it be unequal, the lesser will envy the greater.” Jesus answers: “Non sera equalle perche dio he iusto he ogniuno si chontentera perche hiuui non he inuidia,” and again, There shall be “tutta una gloria sebene sara ha chi più ha chi meno. Non portera alloro inuidia ueruna.” So, when Dante questions the beatified Piccarda, in her earth-shadowed sphere— Desiderate voi più alto loco ...?[285] the spirit replies, in words which, though more beautiful and more profound, are inevitably called up by the passage of Barnabas just quoted—