lly
celebrated in the month of May. The Countess published an edict, which
assembled all the poets of France, in artificial arbours, dressed with
flowers; and he that produced the best poem was rewared with a violet of
gold. There were, likewise, inferior prizes of flowers made in silver.
In the meantime, the conquerors were crowned with natural chaplets of
their own respective flowers. During the ceremony degrees were also
conferred. He who had won a prize three times was pronounced a doctor
'_en gaye science_,' the name of the poetry of the Provencal
Troubadours. This institution, however fantastic, soon became common,
through the whole of France."--_Warton's History of English Poetry_, vol
i. p 467.]

[Footnote D: I have transferred the following anecdote from Levati's
Viaggi di Petrarea (vol. i. p. 119 et seq.). It behoves me to confess,
however, that I recollect no allusion to it in any of Petrarch's
letters, and I have found many things in Levati's book which make me
distrust his authority.]

[Footnote E: Quest' anima gentil che si disparte.--Sonnet xxiii.]

[Footnote F: Dated 21st December. 1335.]

[Footnote G: Guido Sette of Luni, in the Genoese territory, studied law
together with Petrarch; but took to it with better liking. He devoted
himself to the business of the bar at Avignon with much reputation. But
the legal and clerical professions were then often united; for Guido
rose in the church to be an archbishop. He died in 1368, renowned as a
church luminary.]

[Footnote H: Canzoni 8, 9, and 10.]

[Footnote I: Valery, in his "Travels in Italy" gives the following note
respecting out poet. I quote from the edition of the work published at
Brussels in 1835:--"Petrarque rapporte dans ses lettres latines que le
laurier du Capitole lui avait attire une multitude d'envieux; que le
jour de son couronnement, au lieu d'eau odorante qu'il etait d'usage de
repandre dans ces solennites, il recut sur la tete une eau corrosive,
qui le rendit chauve le reste de sa vie. Son historien Dolce raconte
meme qu'une vieille lui jetta son pot de chambre rempli d'une acre
urine, gardee, peut-etre, pour cela depuis sept semaines."]

[Footnote J: Sonnet cxcvi.]

[Footnote K: _Translation._--In the twenty-fifth year of his age, after
a short though happy existence, our John departed this life in the year
of Christ 1361, on the 10th of July, or rather on the 9th, at the
midhour between Friday and Saturday. Sent into the world to