They have nothing in common with his writings in his native language， except the eternal pun about Laura and Daphne.None of these works would have placed him on a level with Vida or Buchanan.Yet， when we compare him with those who preceded him， when we consider that he went on the forlorn hope of literature， that he was the first who perceived， and the first who attempted to revive， the finer elegancies of the ancient language of the world， we shall perhaps think more highly of him than of those who could never have surpassed his beauties if they had not inherited them.
He has aspired to emulate the philosophical eloquence of Cicero， as well as the poetical majesty of Virgil.His essay on the Remedies of Good and Evil Fortune is a singular work in a colloquial form， and a most scholastic style.It seems to be framed upon the model of the Tusculan Questions，--with what success those who have read it may easily determine.It consists of a series of dialogues： in each of these a person is introduced who has experienced some happy or some adverse event：
he gravely states his case； and a reasoner， or rather Reason personified， confutes him； a task not very difficult， since the disciple defends his position only by pertinaciously repeating it， in almost the same words at the end of every argument of his antagonist.In this manner Petrarch solves an immense variety of cases.Indeed， I doubt whether it would be possible to name any pleasure or any calamity which does not find a place in this dissertation.He gives excellent advice to a man who is in expectation of discovering the philosopher's stone；--to another， who has formed a fine aviary；--to a third， who is delighted with the tricks of a favourite monkey.His lectures to the unfortunate are equally singular.He seems to imagine that a precedent in point is a sufficient consolation for every form of suffering."Our town is taken，" says one complainant； "So was Troy，" replies his comforter."My wife has eloped，" says another； "If it has happened to you once， it happened to Menelaus twice." One poor fellow is in great distress at having discovered that his wife's son is none of his."It is hard，"says he， "that I should have had the expense of bringing up one who is indifferent to me." "You are a man，" returns his monitor， quoting the famous line of Terence； "and nothing that belongs to any other man ought to be indifferent to you." The physical calamities of life are not omitted； and there is in particular a disquisition on the advantages of having the itch， which， if not convincing， is certainly very amusing.
The invectives on an unfortunate physician， or rather upon the medical science， have more spirit.Petrarch was thoroughly in earnest on this subject.And the bitterness of his feelings occasionally produces， in the midst of his classical and scholastic pedantry， a sentence worthy of the second Philippic.
Swift himself might have envied the chapter on the causes of the paleness of physicians.
Of his Latin works the Epistles are the most generally known and admired.As compositions they are certainly superior to his essays.But their excellence is only comparative.From so large a collection of letters， written by so eminent a man， during so varied and eventful a life， we should have expected a complete and spirited view of the literature， the manners， and the politics of the age.A traveller--a poet--a scholar--a lover--a courtier--a recluse--he might have perpetuated， in an imperishable record， the form and pressure of the age and body of the time.Those who read his correspondence， in the hope of finding such information as this， will be utterly disappointed.
It contains nothing characteristic of the period or of the individual.It is a series， not of letters， but of themes； and， as it is not generally known， might be very safely employed at public schools as a magazine of commonplaces.Whether he write on politics to the Emperor and the Doge， or send advice and consolation to a private friend， every line is crowded with examples and quotations， and sounds big with Anaxagoras and Scipio.Such was the interest excited by the character of Petrarch， and such the admiration which was felt for his epistolary style， that it was with difficulty that his letters reached the place of their destination.The poet describes， with pretended regret and real complacency， the importunity of the curious， who often opened， and sometimes stole， these favourite compositions.It is a remarkable fact that， of all his epistles， the least affected are those which are addressed to the dead and the unborn.Nothing can be more absurd than his whim of composing grave letters of expostulation and commendation to Cicero and Seneca； yet these strange performances are written in a far more natural manner than his communications to his living correspondents.But of all his Latin works the preference must be given to the Epistle to Posterity； a simple， noble， and pathetic composition， most honourable both to his taste and his heart.If we can make allowance for some of the affected humility of an author， we shall perhaps think that no literary man has left a more pleasing memorial of himself.
In conclusion， we may pronounce that the works of Petrarch were below both his genius and his celebrity； and that the circumstances under which he wrote were as adverse to the development of his powers as they were favourable to the extension of his fame....
第一章SOME ACCOUNT OF THE GREAT LAWSUIT BETWEEN THE PARISHES OF STDENNIS AND ST GEORGE IN THE WATER.
(April 1824.)
PART I.
The parish of St Dennis is one of the most pleasant parts of the county in which it is situated.It is fertile， well wooded， well watered， and of an excellent air.For many generations the manor had been holden in tail-male by a worshipful family， who have always taken precedence of their neighbours at the races and the sessions.