Giovanni Boccaccio

The name of Dante Alighieri has been universally allowed a place in the very highest rank of literature. It was in his transport of enthusiastic love for Beatrice, that Dante conceived the idea of the Divina Commedia, his great poem, of which Beatrice was destined to be the heroine. Thus to the inspiration of a young, lovely, and noble-minded woman, we owe one of the grandest efforts of human genius.
Beatrice was described as a beautiful and virtuous woman. Her history may be considered as an affection of Dante - in that lies its sole interest. She was 24 years old when she died, and yet she still lives in Dante's immortal poem, of which her memory was the inspiration.