Of the Abbe cU SADE. 165 



both meaning the refentment of every fpecies of rivalfliip. In 

 the firfl of the fonnets above mentioned, it is moft probable that 

 the poet meant that Laura's own jealoufy had frequently de- 

 prived him of the happinefs of feeing her *. What gives the 

 ftrongeft fiipport to this interpretation, is the aflbciation of dif- 

 dain with jealoufy : . 



£ V bel vlfo cValtri m ""afconde ,-,j 



Che Jdegno gehjia celato tiemme. 



And we know, from fome particulars of the life of PetrarcHj 

 that Laura had Sufficient caufe both of difdain and jealoufy th> 

 It is in this mortifying feature, of an otherwife moft virtuous 

 and exemplary charader, that we are to feek for the true reafon 

 of thofe changes of deportment, which Laura manifefted 



towards 



* On this paflage Castelveiro thus remarks : " SI potrebbe intendere di 

 Laura che, fdegnata col Petrarca, gli nafcondeffe il vifo : O, perche foffe innamo- 

 rata di fe fteffa, aveffe gelofia che il Petrarca la vedeffe : 



Se forfe ogni fuo gioia .'{w. ncm 3ii l' '' 



Nel fug bel vifo efola, \ t» 



E dituW altro efchiva, Canz. i^j. 



Ma meglio e d'intendere de' parenti, .- 



Hogliofe ptr fua dolce campagnta ^ r, ,' \ t. 



La qunl ne togJie hroidia e gelojid. — Son. l8c.** 



■{rill 



+ We learn from his familiar letters, that hb pafllon for Laora had hot redraml 

 ed him from the indulgence of a meaner amour, with a woman of low manner^ 

 and of a difagreeable temper; a paffion, of courfe, in which r<he heart h^dao fliarei 

 and that, in confequence of this connexion, which was even of fome j'ears duration, 

 and was a fource to him of much difquiet, he had a natural fon and daughter; of 

 the former of whom we find frequent inention made in the courfe of thofe letters. 



VoL.V.— P.JL Y 



