BAV. 57 



After the death of Laura, he writes : 



" Rotta e 1' alta Colonna, e '1 verde Lauro, 

 Che facean ombra al mio stance pensero :" 



SONNET 229. 



evidently alluding to the death of his mistress, and that 

 of Cardinal Colonna ; and a high compliment, indeed, it 

 was to the cardinal, on such a subject to unite his name 

 with hers. 



How tender and how natural is the following sonnet : 



" Quand' io veggio dal ciel scender 1' aurora 

 Con la fronte di rose, e co' crin d' oro ; 

 Amor m' assale : ond' io r mi discoloro ; 

 E dico sospirando, ivi e Laura ora. 



felice Titon tu sai ben 1' ora 

 Da ricovrare il tuo caro tesoro : 



Ma io che debbo far del dolce Alloro ; 

 Che se '1 vo* riveder, conven ch' io mora. 



1 vostri dipartir non son si duri ; 

 Ch' almen di notte suol tornar colei 



Che' non ha a schifo le tue bianche chiome : 

 Le mie notti fa triste, e i giorni oscuri 

 Quella, che n' ha portato i pensier miei ; 

 Ne di se m' ha lasciato altro, che '1 nome." 



SONNET 250. 



Again I have to lament that the absence of a poetical 

 friend will not allow me to add a proper translation of this 

 sonnet. To give the English reader some notion of the 

 subject, I have translated it in humble prose. I need not 

 add, that this can convey but a very inadequate idea of 

 the original ; 



" When I behold Aurora descending from heaven, with her cheek 

 of roses, and her locks of gold, love assails me : I turn pale, and I say, 

 sighing, where is Laura now ? Oh, happy Tithonus, thou knowest 

 well the hour when thou wilt recover thy dear treasure : but what 

 shall I do for the sweet laurel, which would I see again, I first must 

 die ! Your parting is less cruel ; for night at least restores to thee her 

 who scorns not thy white locks : she makes my nights sorrowful, and 

 my days dark, who has borne away my thoughts, and of herself has 

 left me nothing but the name." 



