Of the Abbe de SADE. 175 



difcourfe of the public, appears from many paffages, where the 

 poet dwells on that circumftance as a matter of regret : 



S) come al pctpol tutto 



^ Favola fid gran tempo, onde fovente 



Di me medejmo meco mi vergogno. — Son. i. 



3//0. Petrarch, in the aoodth fonnet, (Real natura)*, re- 

 cords the following remarkable anecdote. At a brilliant af- 

 fembly and feftival, given on occafion of the arrival of a fo- 

 reign prince at Avignon, Laura was prefent, along with the 

 moft diftinguifhed ladies of the place. This prince, whom the 

 poet celebrates as a moft amiable and accompliflied charadter, 

 Gnrious to fee a lady of whom the compofitions of Petrarch 

 had given him fo high an idea, eagerly fought her out amidfl 

 the crowd, and foon difcovered her by her fuperior beauty and 

 the gracefulnefs of her demeanour. Approaching her with an 

 air of gentlenefs united with dignity, and making a fign to the 

 kdies who furrounded her to ftand a little apart, he took her by 



Z 2 the 



* Real natura, angelica intelletto, 

 Chiar' alma, pronto 'uijla, occhio cerviero, 

 Provvidenza veloce, alto penfiero, 

 E iieramente degno di quel petto ; 



Sendo di donne un bel numero eletto 

 Per adornar il dlfejio ed altera, 

 Subito fcorfe il buon giudicio intero 

 Fra tanti, e si bei volti il piii perfetta ; 



L ' altre maggior di tempo, o difortuna 

 'Trarji in dif parte commando con mano, 

 E caramente accolfe a se quell' una: 



Cli occhi, e la front e con feinbiante umano 

 Bacciolle si, che rallegro ciafcuna : 

 Me empie d' invidia I ' otto dolce eflr<ino> 



