Of the Able de SAD E. 131 



This fonnet is apparently written in the perfon of Petrarch ; 

 but being, in the judgment of Bembo, Beccatelli, Mura- 

 TORi, and the befl of the Italian critics, very inferior, in point 

 of merit, to the other compofitions of the poet, they have fup- 

 pofed it the work of another, who had here affumed his charac- 

 ter, in corapofing an epitaph in honour of Laura. It is re- 

 marked, from the evidence of the note on Virgil, that Pe- 

 trarch was at Parma at the time when Laura was interred 

 at Avignon ; and therefore, that this infcription, though written 

 under his charadler, could not poffibly be of his compofition. If, 

 however, fuch an infcription was adlually found in 1533, in the 

 tomb of the church of the Cordeliers, whoever was its author, 

 it would feem very clearly to indicate, that this was in reality 

 the grave of Petrarch's Laura ; and the place of her inter- 

 ment, being a chapel eredted by the houfe of Sade as a burial- 

 place for all of their family, a ftrong confirmation thence arifes, 

 of the tradition current at Avignon, that Laura was of that 

 family ; and a reafonable foundation feems to be laid for that 

 hypothefis of the author of the Memoires, that fhe was the fame 

 perfon with Laura de Noves, who was married to Hugh de 

 Sade, and from whom the whole of the branches of that fami- 

 ly now exifhing are lineally defcended. 



There are, however, many circumftances that tend to bring 

 into doubt, or rather that feem entirely to confute, this funda- 

 mental fadt, that Laura either died or was buried at Avignon. 



It we admit the evidence of the note on Virgil, Laura was 

 born at Avignon, and died in the fame place. The works of the 

 poet, indeed, contain the mofi: pojStive information that Laura 

 died in the fame place where fhe was born, and where fhe had 

 pafled the greateft part of her hfe ; but they Hkewife furnifli 

 evidence that this place was not Avignon, but fome fmall village 

 or country-feat in the territory of Avignon, near to the fource 

 of the Sorga, or the fountain of Vauclufe. 



IN 



