New-York tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1841-1842, 1841-06-28
Erterau Eottes

We have awaited the apPeafiIgs - -'i'' -
YORK with considerable ANXIETY: aud /; "e 'a's 'e
that disappointed lis character, sc are .' ' '1
giving quite as rnuc n the sanzfine caric'e % ~
pcctatious as TO any failure the paEi Oh Il 1'''
...o.,o,, os tho life Of PErrARcH By one % WEI.
qualified both By the character OF Ms i;i'a anu 80
his studies as Mr. CAMPBELL, might wei 49, l
and favorable antcipatons we ioo"ed l'' c-'' arard
ran, fa;tbf, and pleasing accoun; OF rs N's ''-
acts but for bold and finished portrait OF t'e
,,b;;,g developenent of his real character WIN "
full appreciation of the influence ne OK T,.,
mi. ,y have been somewhat Disappointed WIN an a'''
5 Cor whatever beautiful IN nature OF in
a,d bgb)y cultivated taste in all matters OF scholarship
80 le-sr lfr. Campbell does 20 possess that
.;ab, into the spirit OF age and the vide strong
c mighty though invisible influences which give 1t
sh.ne which are requisite in the historian Of epoch
life The times in which Peuarch lived were OF no little
importance il history and are well worthy Of philosophical
s,udy The internal dssensions 81 Italy the contests Ne
tween the Guephs and Ghboelnes petty IN themselves
and vet so potent IN their influence at their hight Inc
principles Of liberty which have since been widely spreas
md are now so universally cherished mad their birth among
those small Italian Republics in the early part OF the tour
teeh century, and hand tina, should trace fully and with
discrimination their causes and aeyelcpeeu would render
No moan service 10 the cause letters and political science
Bur we have no space TO sketch the character OF those
,mes or 10 trace the connection OF Pctrach wh their Po
lt;ca events 80 fully as VIC could desire In Ms principles
he cs,ou.ed tho Cause Of Repubcann, ard at no little
risk suopred the Tribune Ricnz at he fell through his
own beadlong haste His attachment Rome, amid all hor
deprdnon was strong and his zeal for the welfare OF Italy
was only increased b. the factions by which she was torn
He was one the learned men OF ms age and un
doubtedy effected than any other II rescuing from utter
destruction many copies of the classics which we're fast dis
appearing and fusng for the benefit Of postery the
spirit of classical philosophy he opposed -trenuouy and
with heroic bodacss the coruPtions OF PopeI-derdcd
,rology period when sccptcisu on tbs subject was
deemed bad aheisn-and in fact the great leader
and commander the literature Of Italy Through his IN
timacy with the powerful families IN the leading Italian
Commonwealth well from his courty address and un-
equacd accomplishments ne possessed an unbounded per-
sona influence which he uniformly eNerted for the extension
of learning aod the permanent wclbeug Of his beloved
Italy There nothing ow bitter his character
which bencvoIencc and consancy of affection were marked
traits His hopeless and udying love for his
Laura well Snownas having given colorns to all his po
etry shaped great degree, his whole life and charac
ter For than twenty nc cherished his passion
for this lady, and after her death worhpcd her mem
ory with the fond and unyiedns devotion Misplaced
as it was eryid and delicate,
md its enthusiasm enduring that the pure,t minds have
felt ussed overlooking the uhapYncss of the attach
uent and attending only to its deveu; fidelity.
The poetry OF Pciraroh is distinguished for the pcrcc,
concord which displays between Nature aud Art for the
deep and burning vehemencc OF passion from which al
ways springs and for the harmony elegance and perfection
its verse 1t ia often overloaded with conces and
ravngant fancies and this has led many critics to overlook
rca merit and to deny his claim the high rank among
oets which has been assigned him, But this manifcsy
unjust sentence for through and spite Of all these the
ire of his genius burns with pure and sparkling Light
The fact too that for five hundred years his poetry has been
admired in every nation where has been read
testimony in favor. So strong regard for Petrrch
saws his bographcr is rooted in the mind of Italy that
his renown has grown up like oak which has reached ma
ri,v amidst the OF and tears not decay from
revolving centuries
The Biography by Mr. CAMPBELL Will OF course take rank
as the only English Life of hi. great Italian poet worthy
the name In the Preface he reviews the Memoirs that had
been previously written und although the bitterness and
scornu contempt with which he them leads
poet somewhat violently his freedom from bias and his dn
tercstedness We cannot help feeling that there was de-
nand for another work He has performed his labor poba-
bly as well rs any likely undertake it could have done
and his Biography all that could be desired II
certainly all that could reasonably be expected ltwrtten
with the purity and elegnnce-dispayS throughout
the mind of poet and accomplished >choar-and forms on
the WHOLE of the best and interesting works that
have recently issued from the American peSs will
.. course find way the library OF every scholar
and general reader outward dress is i'll excellent keep
ing with the finished and elegant character of the work
Disco Dr By CHssIcrER Sur1oS, D. D. Late
Pretend Of Westminster Neaiork D. Appleton Co. 200
Broadway.
This another worthy addition The beautiful and
excellent series Of religious works. which the Appletons
have the of publication under the title of The De-
votional Library The book enineay practical contain
ng the best and wiscst aids in building up the Christian
character and leading the mind through holy thoughts and
divine aspirations the peace and sacred
The author is widely known OF the most devoted
Of the church, and those of his works which nave
been Duhished have most