Of the Abbe de S A D E. 179 



In the 289th fonnet, or the 61 ft of the fecond part, written 

 after the death of Laura, we find thefe ftrong exprefhons : 



S ' honejlo amor, pud meritar mercede *, &c. 



" If honourable and virtuous love e'er merited a reward, and 

 " if companion can aught avail, I fhall obtain the recompence 

 " of a conflancy of affection, which, towards that dear object, 

 " and in the eyes of the world, was as pure as the light of 

 " heaven. Formerly fhe miftrufted that affection, and was un- 

 " certain of the end and object of my pafhon. Now me fees 

 my heart and inmoft foul ; and thence I trufl that in heaven 

 fhe now compamonates my fiifferings : for oft I behold her 

 in my dreams, regarding me with looks full of tendernefs and 

 pity ; and 1 fondly hope, that when 1 too fhall have laid afide 

 " this garb of mortality, fhe will welcome me to thofe bleft a- 

 " bodes, where all true followers of Christ, and friends to virtue, 

 " fhall dwell for ever in happinefs." Can any perfon who reads 

 this remarkable paffage, believe that the love of Petrarch was 

 a criminal and adulterous affection ? If he flill hefitates on that 



point, 



* S ' honejlo amor pub meritar mercede : 

 E fe pieta anchor pub quant' ellafuole, 

 Mercede havrb ; che pi ft chiara che 'I fole, 

 A madonna ed al mondo e la miafede. 



Gia di me paventofa, hor fa, nol crede, 

 Che quellojlejfo, ch' or per me Ji vuole, 

 Sempreji volfe ; e s' ella udia parole, 

 O vedea V volto, hor I ' animo, e V cor vede, 



Ond' i'/pero che 'njin al del Ji doglia- 

 Di miei tanti fofpiri ; e cost mojlra 

 'Tornando a me si plena di pietate t 



E fpero ch' al por giii di quejlafpoglia 

 Venga per me con quella gente nojlra 

 Vera arnica di Cristo, e d' honejlate. 



