Of the AUe de SAD E. i8i 



. So, likewife, in the next fonnet, 304. *. 



•' O happy day, when, iffuing from tliis earthly prifon, and 

 ■ " throwing off the fpoils of luortahty, burfling from this cloud 

 " of darknefs into the fplendour of eternal day, I fee at once 

 " my God, and the dear objecft of my love !" 



In his hymn to the Virgin, with which he concludes his fon- 

 nets, and which is, perhaps, the moft perfedl of his compofitions, 

 where he confeflTes all the errors and weakneffes of his life ; and 

 when, from the nature of the fubjedl, he muft have deemed it 

 nothing lefs than impiety to have uttered a falfehood, or even 

 to have palliated or extenuated a crinje, he takes merit tohim- 

 felf, in the fight of heaven, for his paffion for Laura ; and thus 

 reafons with the Bleffed Virgin, appealing to that clemency 

 which he fuppofes her peculiar charaderiflic f : 



" O Bleffed Virgin, paragon of clemency and humanity, 

 " let the example of the Almighty Being incite thee to fliew 

 " mercy to an humble. contrite heart ; and if with fuch flrength 

 " and ardour of affecflion I have been capable of loving a frail 

 " mortal, what mayft thou not conclude muft be my devotion 



" towards 



* felice quel di, che del terreno 



Careers ufcendo, lafci rotta e fparta, 



^uejia mia grave, efrale, e mortal gonna.— 



E da iifolte tenehre mi fart a, 

 Voltando tanto fu nel hel fereno, 

 Ch' io iieggia it mio Sign ORE, e la mia Donna. 



+ Vergine umana, e nemica d ' orgoglio, 



Del commune principio amor t' induca ; 



Mi/erere d ' un cor contrito umile ; 



Che fe foca mortal terra caduca 



Amar con si m'lrahilfede foglio, 



Che dovrb far di te cofa gentile '. — Canz. 8. Part. a. 



VoL.V,— P.IL A a 



