i24 EXAMINATION of an HISTORICAL* HYPOTHESIS 



fequence of thefe elaborate inquiries, fhould be a diminution of 

 that efteem which the world has hitherto entertained for this 

 eminent man, in the moft important point of his character, his 

 morals *. 



The works of Petrarch give evidence of his abilities as a 

 Politician, Theologian, and Philofopher ; and it is in thefe cha- 

 racters that he appears chiefly to have been diftinguifhed by his 

 cotemporaries ; but it is not on thefe foundations that the laft- 

 ing ftructure of his fame has been reared. It is to thofe incom- 

 parable verfes, in which he has celebrated the accomplimments 

 and bewailed the fate of the beautiful Laura, that Petrarch 

 has been indebted for his permanent reputation. The hiftory 

 of the poet's paflion for his lovely miftrefs, muft ever be re- 

 garded as forming the moft interefting portion of his annals. 

 His character, in fact, took its tone from that predominant af- 

 fection, which influenced his ftudies, his habits of life, and all 

 his purfuits and occupations. A love fo pure, fo ardent, and 

 fo lafting, is difficult to be paralleled in the hiftory of human 

 nature. Petrarch was the paflionate admirer of Laura for 

 twenty- one years, while fhe was in life ; and with unabated 

 ardour of affection, he is faid to have bewailed her lofs for twen- 

 ty-fix years after her death. 



The works of the poet himfelf bear the ftrongeft teftimony 

 that this paflion, fo remarkable both in its fervency and dura- 

 tion, was an honourable and virtuous flame. Petrarch a- 

 fpired to the happinefs of being united to Laura in marriage. 

 We have reafon to believe, from the evidence of his own wri- 

 tings, that the heart of Laura was not infenfible to his paflion ; 

 and, although the term of his probation was tedious and fevere, 

 he had grounds for a hope, approaching to confidence, that he 



was 



* Of this work of the Abbe de Sade, Mrs Dobson has given a very amufing 

 epitome, in her Life o/" Petrarch, i vols. 8vo. 



