The times., 1899-08-06
Some of Petrarch,s Letters.

A new work which will be of considera-
bic interest and value to teachers of litera-
ture, and to students of Italian literature
in particular, is 'tPetrarch: The First Mod
ern Scholar and Man of Letters" being
from his correspondence with
Boccaccio and other friends, designed TO
illustrate the beginnings of the Renais
sance, translated from the original Latin,
and accompanied with historical introduc-
tions and notes. The book is the work of
Prof. James Harvey Robinson, of Columbia
University, assisted by Henry Winches-
ter Rolfe. 1t does not pretend to be
a piece of literary criticism, but simply a
historical work. designed to throw light on
the development of modern culture.
Prof. Robinson regards Petrarch as one
Of those leaders of humanity who have
marked out new channels for the thought
of succeeding generations, and endorses the
estimate of Carducci who ranks him with
Erasmus and Voltaire. In short, he was
the pioneer in the great revival of Latin
learning, and how much that-meant TO the
world one cannot know without having
recognized in all its horror the intellectu-
al blackness of the Middle Ages. Theo-
logical speculations, INDUCED in by minds
without breadth of culture or respect for
other learning than their own, are as de-
struetive TO sanity as anything that exists
in this world and when the European men
of letters turned from the fields Of the
ology and logic to the secular culture Of
Greece and Rome, they not only became
broader in their views but more healthy
and humane in their civilization. Mankind
is so constituted as to need an outlook, not
only to the confines of his own country
and time, but backward through all the
ages and outward to all the world, for his
perfect intellectual health
Il is g curious fact, noted by his present
editor, that, like many other great men,
Petrarch was not good judge of his own
writings. Had he chosen which of his
works were to be left to posterity, the
choice would certainly not have fallen up
on the sonnets. He was, in fact, ashamed
of his earlier lyrics, and would gladly have
had them forgotten. But the fact is that
they have lived because they revealed the
man himself-the ardent sensitive, earn
est soul Of hini-aud that was the source
of his power. His character, not his
achievements, made him great, and the
ponderous Latin works on which he spent
his soul are now forgotten, while the world
knows and loves the sonnets and scholars
recognize in the man a great force, mold
ing the civilization OF Europe.
In some respects the time In which Pc
trarch lived was not very unlike our own.
ginning of another, and two systems OF
thought were just beginning to war with
one another for supreme cy. It was Just
before the great stimulus to human
achievement and imagination which came
with the discovery of the New World
There was a stirring among the dry bones
everywhere. The picture OF Petrarct
which Prof. Robinson gives in his in
PRODUCTION may help to make this plain
and to show how like his problems were tt
those which many thoughtful minds en-
counter nowadays.
PetTarch was not content to live unquestion
ingly, adjusting his conduct 10 the convention
al standard He was constantly preoccupied Will
his own aims and motives. Nor was the problem
that he confronted simple one for the old anC
the new were contending for supremacy within
his breast. The medieval conception of on
mortal life that OF a brief period Of proba
fiOn. during which each PLAYED his obscure rol
in the particular group, guild or corporation L
which Providence had assigned him. bearing hi
burdens patiently in the beatifc vision of
speedy reward in another and 4 better world
Petrarch formally sssented to this view but neve
accepted IL. The pTeciousness OF LIES opportun
ity ever before him. Lie certainly
preparation for heaven, but, he asked himself
was Il not something more? Might there NOT b
worthy secular aimss Might not one raise hin
self above those about him and the az
I proval Of generations To come, as the grea
HEfAcIS Dl antiquity Heu QuBt4 itl5 longing I
obtain an earthly reputation, and the teinpts
ton consciously to direct his energies towar
achieving posthurnous fame, seemed to him no
noble instinct, and again, when traditio
weighed heavily upon him, goddess infatuatior
OF course, one of Petrarch's first aims a
a man of letters was the collection Of
library, and the difficulty of. such an un
dertaking may be estimated when il i
known that two hundred volumes com
prised his whole collection. 1t must be re
membered that in those days books ha
to be copied by hand, and the averag
copyist seems TO have been about on
level with the traditional Intelligent com
positor" OF modern times. The poet re
counts In a half-humorous, haIf-patheti
style his tribulations in getting a fair cop
made of one of his own shorter works, s
that he could send a copy of II to th
friend to whom it was dedicated. He says
have tried ten times and more to have
copied in such q way that, even il the sty
should not please either the ears the min
the eyes might yet be gTatifed by the form
the letters BUT the faithfulness and indust
Of the copyists, Of which / am constantly cor
planning and with which you are familiar, hay
in spite Of all my earnest efforts. frustrated n
wishes. These fellows are verify the plague
/ noble minds. What ! have Just said must see
incredible work written in few months ca
not he copied II 80 many yearsi The trouble a
I CAeeoli cement LlNUlftQ IN the case OF II
portsnt books is obvious. At last, after ell the
fruitiess trials, leaving home, put the man
script into the hands Of 2 certain priest to cor
Whether he win a priest, perform his d.
eonscientiously, or, as copyist, be ready to
celve, canrot yet say. j learn from the lett
Of friends that the work IS done OF its ouali
knowing the habits Of this tribe OF copyis,s,
shall continue 10 hsrisor doubts until I Rctua
see il.
: 1t is rather pathetic TO think that P
trarch's desire of founding a great libra
was not fulfilled. He left his below
books TO the city of Venice for public
brary, but It appears that either the &C
lection never reached Venice or was allo'
ed TO become the prey of mice. insect
and dampness.
Besides this analysis Of Petrarch's cha
aeter and its influence on his age-and
is an exceedingly able one-theEe is she
biography OF the poet, which has an /
! terest of its own. Ii should be remer
bered that the two great passions of P
! trarch's life-his devotion to learning Al
: his love for Laura-were both contrary
the ideas CT the age about the worthy air
of a mans life. The poet kept a sort
diary which he called His Secret"
, which we're written dialogues between hiI
self and supposed ghostly adviser,
Augustine, and In this he argued out [
! problems WEIGH DSsSL Alii. OLS VI tHe
imaginary conversations Is sketched
the biography, and In II Petrsrch defen
the higher conception of love as agar
the medsaeyal ideas of Augustine.
Some Of the letters quoted are to Be
? caccio and one. which should prove d
: cidedly interesting 10 students of lite
: ature. concerns Boccaccio'g story Of Girls,
, de-, which the poet praises highly. A
other, on the Italian language and Its
ature, contains much of that iEcssige '
!, and playful humor which were amo
' the writer's striking characteristics. TIL,
Z was a great deal Of haman nature amo