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Bt, preserved many vessels. In the deplorable accident 

 Boccacio. which befel the Guardian frigate, she sunk until her 

 decks were level vith the water; and when all her 



remaining crew expected to be instantly sttallowed 

 up in the ocean, to their inexpressible astonishment 

 she still floated. But the decks of the vessel were 

 strong, and there were empty casks within, which, 

 exactly on Mr Bremner's principle, prevented her 

 from sinking. We doubt not that in smooth water, 

 and in certain cases of shipwreck, a boat provided 

 with cork or casks may be useful ; yet we cannot 

 forget that, without either, some open boats have 

 sailed one, two, even above three thousand miles 

 through tempestuous seas. The Royal Humane 

 Society awarded a premium for this expedient in 

 1800; and the Highland Society of Scotland, to 

 which, the model of a boat prepared as above was 

 transmitted, likewise testified their approbation by 

 an honorary remuneration. We believe that more 

 recently, Mr Bremner has submitted his expedient 

 to the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, and 

 that it has met with the like approval, though we 

 are still ignorant of the particulars. The principal 

 inferiority of this and the other life boats, compared 

 with Mr Greathead's invention, consists in their be- 

 ing so much more easily injured, and in their remain, 

 ing serviceable only so long as entire ; whereas his 

 boat may be grievously damaged, and still bring a 

 crew safe ashore. In studying the best principles 

 whereon a life boat should be constructed, great re- 

 gard is to be paid to those expedients adopted by 

 shipwrecked mariners, who had few conveniences at 

 command ; and to the causes which have been de- 

 structive of open boats or decked vessels at sea. 

 See Greathead's Report of the Evidence respecting 

 the Invention of the Life Boat. Transactions for 

 the Encouragement of Arts, vol. x. 20, 25. Reper- 

 tory of Arts, vol. iii. 27. Transactions of the High- 

 land Society, vol. ii. (c) 



BOCCACIO, or Boccace, John, sometimes call- 

 ed John de Certaldo, a celebrated Italian writer, 

 was born at Certaldo, in Tuscany, in the year 1313.* 

 Though his father was a peasant with a large family, 

 he resolved to educate him for the mercantile profes- 

 sion j and, with this view, placed him under a mer. 

 chant at Florence, who carried him with him to Pa- 

 ris. From his knowledge of accounts he at first 

 gained the affection of his master ; but his taste for 

 poetry began to relax his attention to business, and, 

 after a service of six years, his master dismissed him 

 for negligence. He now began the study of the 

 canon law ; but neither the remonstrances of his 

 friends, nor the hopes of preferment, could induce 

 him to continue a study which was at such variance 

 with his taste for poetry and philosophy. He per- 

 severed, however, in his studies till the death of his 

 father, when he abandoned all his professional views, 

 and devoted himself wholly to poetry. He put him- 

 self under the instruction of Petrarch, and sought for 

 knowledge from every other master he could procure ; 

 but his small patrimony was insufficient for such ex- 

 penses, and he was compelled to accept the genero- 

 vftj of Petrarch, who supplied him both with money 



and books. About this time he met with Leontius Boccacu>. 

 Pilatus, a learned Greek of Thessalonica, whom he """" v"""' 

 received into his house, and loaded with kindness, 

 and by whom he was initiated into Greek literature. 

 He heard him read Homer ; he conversed with him 

 familiarly for almost three years ; and, as Boccacio 

 himself remarks, " his best memory was unable to 

 retain the infinite number of things he told me, my 

 mind being also perplexed with other cares, had I 

 not committed them to writing." The reputation 

 which Boccacio soon acquired, in consequence of his 

 intellectual attainments, attracted the attention of the 

 republic of Florence, who honoured him with the 

 freedom of the city, and employed him in many of 

 their public concerns. In consequence of the turbu- 

 lent state of Florence, which was then agitated with 

 contending factions, Petrarch ( 1350) withdrew from 

 that city into security and retirement. The republic 

 regretted the loss of this illustrious poet, and com- 

 missioned (1351) Boccacio to negociate his return; 

 but, instead of succeeding in this attempt, Boccacio 

 was inspired by Petrarch with the same love of tran- 

 quillity, and he henceforth resolved to quit Flo- 

 rence. After having visited several parts of Italy, 

 he went to the court of Naples, where he met with a 

 kind reception from King Robert. Here he fell in 

 love with Mary of Arragon, the natural daughter of 

 that prince, whom he has celebrated under the name of 

 Fiametta, and from this cause he remained a consider- 

 able time at Naples. From Naples he went to Sici- 

 ly, where he attracted the particular notice of Queen 

 Joan. The tranquillity of Florence being in some 

 measure restored, Boccacio returned to that city. 

 In 1359, he went to visit Petrarch at Milan, and, in 

 consequence of some conversation which passed be- 

 tween them, he resolved to follow a more serious 

 course of life. This resolution was carried into ef- 

 fect in 1361, when he was warned that his life would 

 be short. This warning was given him by Joachim Ci- 

 ani, a Curthusian friar of Sienna, who can.e to him at 

 Florence, and requested a private audience. " I came 

 hither," said the friar, " at the desire of the blessed 

 Father Petroni, a Carthusian of Sienna, who, though . 

 he never saw you, by the illumination of heaven 

 knows you thoroughly. He charged me to repre- 

 sent to you your extreme danger, unless you reform 

 your manners and your writings, which are the in- 

 struments the devil uses to draw men into his snares, 

 to tempt them to sinful lusts, and to promote the de- 

 pravity of their conduct. Ought you not to blush 

 for such an abuse of the talents God has given you 

 for his glory ? What a reward might you have ob- 

 tained, had you made a good use of that wit and elo- 

 quence with which he has endowed you ! On the 

 contrary, what ought you not to fear from devoting 

 yourself to lust, and waging war with modesty, by 

 giving lessons of libertinism both in your life and 

 writings ! The blessed Petroni, celebrated for his- 

 miracles and the sobriety of his life, speaks to you by 

 my voice. He charged me in his last moments, to 

 beseech and exhort you, in the most sacred manner, 

 to renounce poetry and those profane studies that 

 have been your constant employment, and prevented 



Mrs Dobson says, that Boccacio was born at Paris. Life of Petrarch, book iv. 6vo, vol. iS. p. 31. 



