Of the Abbe de S A D E. 175 



difcourfe of the public, appears from many pafTages, where the 

 poet dwells on that circumitance as a matter of regret : 



Si come al popol tutto 



^ Favola fid gran tempo, onde fovente 



Di me medefmo meco mi vergogno. — Son. 1. 



$tib. Petrarch, in the 2oodth fonnet, (Real natura)*, re- 

 cords the following remarkable anecdote. At a brilliant af- 

 fembly and feftival, given on occafion of the arrival of a fo- 

 reign prince at Avignon, Laura was prefent, along with the 

 mod diftinguifhed ladies of the place. This prince, whom the 

 poet celebrates as a moft amiable and accomplished character, 

 curious to fee a lady of whom the compositions of Petrarch 

 had given him fo high an idea, eagerly fought her out amidft 

 the crowd, and foon difcovered her by her Superior beauty and 

 the gracefulnefs of her demeanour. Approaching her with an 

 air of gentlenefs united with dignity, and making a fign to the 

 ladies who furrounded her to ftand a little apart, he took her by 



Z 2 the 



* Real natura, angelica intelletto, 

 Cbiar' alma, pronta vijia, occhio cerviero, 

 Provvidenza veloce, alto penjlero, 

 E veramente degno di quel petto ; 



Sendo di donne un bel numero eletto 

 Per adornar il difefio ed altero, 

 Suhito fcorfe il buon giudicio intero 

 Fra tanti, e si bei volti il piii perfetto > 



L ' altre maggior di tempo, o difortuna 

 "Frarfi in difparte commando con mano, 

 E caramente accolfe a se quell' una: 



Cli occhi, e la front e con fembiante umano 

 Bacciolle si, che rallegro ciafcuna : 

 Me empii d' invidia I' otto dolce efirano, 



