"... lest the universal monarchy should become a universal tyranny, a check is needed upon the Empire. This, in Dante's scheme, is provided by the Church, which at every point interfuses and penetrates the secular order, not by directly intervening in politics (since this can only corrupt the spiritual power by worldly greed and ambition), but by forming men of such character that they will produce a temporal society in which it is possible to live a full and a Christian life."It is at this point we find Dante clearly distinguishing between Reason and Revelation. The secular order is founded upon Reason, and its task is to lead happiness in this world; the spiritual order is founded upon Revelation, and its task is to lead men to eternal beatitude. "
If you know the answer straight away, keep it to yourself in order to give others a chance to guess. And as always, no Googling.... .
***UPDATE***
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Commenter Barrett Turner got the answer right, the quote is from Dorothy Sayers's introduction to Dante's Inferno.
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