Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-12-20
prrRARcH AND LAURA.
BY Z. a.

ln no novel that mas ever Deen
written was there ever a more ro
mantle story than that OF Pet
rarch and Laura, who lived iH
Italy in the fourteenth century
Petrarch was q young man who
had been educsted for the law
but who, to the Indignation OF bis
father, hated the dry study, and
devoted his time to reading ro-
mantle histories aud to writing
poetry.
Once. it is said, his parent, in
q state of tremendous indigna-
tion, threw all his library into the
fire; but, though the books were
burned, the love Of them lived on,
and on the death OF his father,
Petrarch purchased . pretty
country house at Vaucluse, and
indulged without restraint in his
favorite employment.
He had the students usual love
fol. solitary wandering, and once
he roamed 80 far from home that
be was belated, and slept oil night
in fsherman's hut. At 6 o'clock
in the morning he entered the
gates Of Avignon, and, according
70 custom, entered the nearest
ochurch to.<,,11er up morning
pfxyss. II was the Church Of st
Clair, and being the holy week.
il was hung in black. The effect
created in the sensitive soul Of
Pstrarch was one Of extreme mel
ancholy.
As be knelt, he felt the tears
rise to his eyes, and q premoni-
ton Of coming calamity filed his
foul. But, as he raised his eyes,
they fell upon the most beautiful
figure be had ever seen 1t was
that Of young lady who was also
.kneellng. She had magnificent
bust and profusion Of blonde
hair. Her dress was . pale-green
robe, bespr:nkled with violets
aud she wore o crown of filagree
gold sci with precious stones, and
. splendid necklace Of large pearls
and garnets. At first. he could not
see her face, but in little while
she arose, and, on leaving the
church, passed him. Their eyes
met; he was still kneeling with
clasped hands. She started and
hlushed. Francis PstraTch could
not move, but "his soul followed
her.
THIS was Laura, then in her
eighteenth year. From this mo-
ment, to make her his wife be-
came Petrarch's fondest hope.
And Laura also seems to have
loved him, but her mother, who
vas the verritable cruel parent of
fiction had higher views for her
daughter; and having pretended
to give her consent. carried Laura
away from Vaucluse to Avignon
and forced her.so marry the Count
This wHs saone while Petrarch
wsext Naples, combating for the
;Snrel crown which he desired to
Law At Laura'e feet. However she
NAV once have loved him---nay,
perhaps she loved him slways-
Laura behaved with the modesty
and prudence which 10 well be-
come q matron, And neither en-
coursged his visits nor his protes
tstions. Yet though Laura lived
TO be forty years old; be adored
her at the hour she died entirely
as he had in the brightest hour oi
her youth and beauty.
A few years before her death he
said to o friend:
"The day may perhaps come
when / shall have calmness
enough to contemplate all the
misery OF my soul; but still
love her in spite Of myself. l have
said in lamentations and tears.
must hate hsr-but ahl | love
her still"
In moments OF excitement be
used to fancy that be saw her
spirit, she seemed to emerge from
q tree; from the waves of the sea
once from q mouth OF cannon
Thrice he saw her at night be
side his bed, and found himself
overcome bv the spectacle.
Theistory OF his love he told in
verses that have been handed
down to posterity. They have
ali the interest OF a biography
for he conceals nothing. Emo
tons which most men bury in
their souls he has committed t.
paper. It is evident from thes,
that she never admitted her love
for him, but that he believed sh,
loved him is just as certain. Sh'
was evidently one who was abl'
10 bear much without complaint
Some one has said:
"No writer insinuates himsel
80 closely into the folds of th'
breast as Petrarch. He recall
10 us every little circumstances o
our passion :, The pains. tn,
pleasures, the hopes. the fears
and, often BY single word
awakes in the minds OF thos
who have loved a crowd of almos
imperceptible feelings, whicl
they had never observed. or ha'
forgotten" q
At last Laura died, and PEI
rarch himself writes of that even
as follows. in the pages OF vo
tme Of Virgil: