PETRARCH THE AUTHOR 



feeling that a conjuror's wand has restored to life the 

 whole fourteenth century. A grand procession of men 

 of all ranks marches before one's eyes. In the company 

 of humbler but equally dear friends, one meets with 

 popes, cardinals, and bishops; with the secular aris- 

 tocracy, including seemingly all the noblest names of 

 Italy, the Colonnas, the Viscontis, the Carraras, the 

 Malatestas, the Correggios; with really great figures 

 Uke Boccaccio and Rienzi. 



One's curiosity is immensely whetted, but in no wise, 

 I fear, has it ever been completely gratified. It is not 

 difficult to account for the disappointment. As soon as 

 the history of the formation of the collection is known, 

 a reason suggests itself. Just as Petrarch decided, late 

 in Hfe, to edit his verse, so, when about fifty-five years 

 old (that is, in 1359), he began to think about sifting 

 and arranging his correspondence for pubUcation. The 

 work was difficult and progressed slowly, but, thanks to 

 the skill of the youth from Ravenna, the Familiarum 

 Rerum Libri xxiv was achieved — the Letters of Friendly 

 Intercourse, as the title is translated by Robinson and 

 Rolfe. The three hundred and forty-seven letters cover 

 the years 1332-62. To this first collection should be 

 added the EpistolcB Varice — miscellaneous letters — 

 which he had thought best not to include with the 

 others. In the last one of the Familiar Letters he says 

 to the friend whom he calls Socrates: " The letters 

 which I shaU write from now on — if it is your sincere 

 wish that nothing of mine should be lost — I shall place 



