PREFACE. IN this little book I endeavour to give some account of the Sonnet, and to compare the regular Italian form of that short poem with the English variety. I seek to prove that while the Italian Sonnet of the best writers, taking Petrarch as their exponent, is made up of several organic parts, each of which has its determinate function, and the result of the whole is a logical, consistent structure, the English form is generally more loose and inaccurate. My purpose is also to prove, from a critical analysis of some English translations of a number of Petrarch's best productions, that this great master of the Sonnet has not hitherto been properly represented in this country. In the Second Part a number of Petrarch's Sonnets are arranged according to their metrical structure, serving to illustrate his three types and their variations, together with notes derived, to some extent, from a study of several of the best Italian commentators. I also venture to put forth my views as to the duties of a Translator; and although my attempts to render many of these celebrated productions into English are doubtless open to some of the censures that I so liberally bestow on others, yet I may claim for them this difference, namely, that they are so far distinguished from the performances of my predecessors as to be closer to the original, not only in their literal meaning but also in their metrical form. My desire has been not to obtrude myself at the expense of my author; but, as far as possible, to reproduce his simple, eloquent, and beautiful language into equivalent expressions in our own tongue. I have also, in many cases, placed the original Italian by the side of my own work, so that the reader who has but a moderate knowledge of the language will, it is hoped, be able to derive instruction from this small performance in a not unpleasant form. Some illustrative matter has been thrown into an Appendix, together with an attempt to support the opinion that the Laura of Petrarch was never married. HIGHGATE, N., May 1874. ANALYSIS OF THE CONTENTS. 1. Origin of this work-The regular Italian Sonnet-Its divi- SONNET from the Vita Nuova-Negli occhi porta la mia 10. Summary-Functions of the Quatrains and Tercets-Refer- ence to the Greek Choral Ode-Derivation of the Sonnet traced to the Provençals-Various examples of compli- cated metre derived from them and adopted by Dante, 11. Origin of the Sonnet among the Italian Troubadours-Grounds for this Theory-Remarks thereon-The Jongleurs or itine- rant singers-Petrarch's account of 12. The regular Italian Sonnet examined-Its logical structure- 13. Critical examination of this Sonnet-The laws of the Sonnet -Petrarch's Sonnet examined thereby-Difficulties of the Translator-Wordsworth's attempts to translate the Son- SONNET LXXXIII.-L'aspettata virtu, in which a rhymed couplet is made to close the transla- 15. Petrarch's Sonnets in the three types-Variations from these ANALYSIS OF THE CONTENTS. xi PAGE 16. Dante free from these defects-Character of his Sonnets 17. Petrarch and Laura-Dante and Beatrice-Dante's love of TYPE II.-Due Donne in cima delle mente mia. And, TYPE I.-Nulla mi parrà mai più crudel cosa. 44 } Stiamo Amor, a veder la gloria nostra. Di donne io vidi una gentile schiera. 19. Attention to method on the part of the great Sonnet-writers -Large amount of care bestowed on their Sonnets- Example from Dante SONNET-Vede perfettamente ogni salute. The Author's gloss on this Sonnet-Example from Petrarch 20. Character of the poetry thus elaborated-The poet's life at 21. How this poetry was influenced by chivalry-by the Trouba- 22. Influence of this theory on Dante's poetry-Extract from 23. The language of Petrarch's Sonnets defended - His power 67 |