The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-06

HIS father. Fetracco-she name was nitsrward
softened to Petrares-wa. Q notary who mad
bean banshed from Florence two years be.
fore by the same decree which drove Dante
into exile. When tho future poet was seven
mouths old his mother received permission to
return 10 tho Florentine territory. She sst-
tied 10 tho little village OF lncisa.
where In 1sA2. tho dilnpidated old house
which had been occupied ~ letrarch's
mother was honorcd with tho Inscription
90 the effect that within those walls tho author
o: the sonnets hud learned the use Of his
mother tongue Iu 1912 Petracco summoned
his little family to live with him In Pisa. and o
year later resolved to ioave Italy altogether
and establish himself At signon. where the
presence OF tho Pvpnl court seomed TO Offer
special opportunities for n man OF his profos.
sion. He could not easily lind Iunttors, how
over. FOR his family in AviRnon. and accord
tncly settled them in Carpontrns. a little city
but few miles distant Hore. from an old
Italian schoolmastor. Petrarch received his
drst regular instruction. Learning smAtter-
anR OF grammar and as much OF dialsctics and
OF rhetoric AS he age could Afford" From tho
outset he evinced keen relish FOR the class cs.
and read Cicero for the beauty OF tho Atvle.
whtle other boys were occupied with Esop's
Fables. At tho age OF Is he WAS sent TO Mon.
Dsler to begin his legal studies. But he con-
tinuei TO devote his time 10 the study Of the
classics. collecting all manuscripts within
his reach. though keeping them carefully
concealed from unfriendly eyes, The notary
one dsy making an UNEXPECTED descent and
discovering tho precious codices. PULLED them
forth aud flung them into the fire. Petrarch
burst into tears. Z" I suffered" he says. Z" AZ IL
the flames had been destroying nv own flesh"
Moved by his grief tho father finally snatchsd
from the flames two books aren ~ half burnt.
ono OF which. it seems. was Virgil and the other
hn ar nj S,,O.,r ez,,
Montpelier. Petrarch WAS sent for the comple-
ton Of his legal novitlate to Bologna which
at that time had fifteen thousand students.
Here the young man formel many fri nd sh ips
which lasted through lie. for he had. to q re-
markable degree. tho Gift OF attracting people
and OF keeping their affection With tho death.
however. OF his father in 1926. the life At 30.
loena came TO an end. pct,arch absn-
doned the notion OF becoming q law
yer and entered tho Chu, on. a profess
sion which seemed 20 promise the most
liberty for tho pursuit OF tho studies which
were dear to him. He settled in hvisnon,
doubtless hoping for some advantage from tho
tontifcal court Here he did in fact acquire
friend whose influence and patronage had
much to do with tho shaping OF his future.
This was James Colonna. . scion OF tho power.
fnl family then playing 20 important role IN
tie history OF Rome James Colonna had him.
self entered the Church aud obtained tho Bish-
opric Of Lombes before reaching tho cnnontca al
age. Petrarch spent summer with tho now
Bishop In Gascony. and after their return to
Avignon was prose nted by him to his brother
Cardinal John Colonno who gave the poet .
homo under his roof for years. Tho Petrareh
known In Avignon as tho prot6e6 OF tho Colon
mas WAS by no means the serious person made
known to US BY his portraits. At that time no
was IN elegant young man. a perfect devotee
OF fashion. In . letter written many
years later. ne gives description OF
hmseli at this period OF life. You
remember" lie asks. "our foolish anxiety
for exquisite elegance o! attire. which al
though growing less from day to day. has
never wholly LETT me: What trouble to chanxe
our clothes morning and evening: what fear
lest breath OF AIR should disturb our caro-.
fully curled locks: how ap1iousiy We watched
every passing horse lost . drop OF mud soil
our gorgeous nantes. or a rude jar disarrangs
their perfumed folds. And what shall Say OF
our shoes. which. intended to protect the feet
served only TO produce torture and martyr.
dom."
II
twas this clerical exquisite. carefully eurlsd
and periumed. with Iorgeou. cloak AMI
pointed shoes. who on an April morning
strolsL into the church Of SANTA Clara 1t
AvIgnon and there SAW the face which stamped
itself forever upon his heart. In manuscript
o: Virgil. formerly owned by the poet AMI now
in the Ambrosiau library at Milan. Ia . note
believed 10 DO In his handwriting which 70.
cords tho day OF this first meeting 40 well a.
the date OF tho lady's death and the place OF
her burial.
This record con .ains nearly all that No know
OF Laura except the iaet that from that April
morning until her death tw.nty.ons years later.
Petrarch never ceased to cslsbrate hsr praises,
Whether Laura was real or an imaginary
person has been disputed for upward OF 500
years. aud they who believe her to have really
lived are aEsi. divided on the question
whether sho wsre a maid or wife. tis true