—thechampion，whofoughtitsbattles——theconqueror，who，inmorethanametaphoricalsense，ledbarbarismandignoranceintriumph，andreceivedintheCapitolthelaurelwhichhismagnificentvictoryhadearned。
Nothingcanbeconceivedmorenobleoraffectingthanthatceremony。Thesuperbpalacesandporticoes，bywhichhadrolledtheivorychariotsofMariusandCaesar，hadlongmoulderedintodust。Thelaurelledfasces——thegoldeneagles——theshoutinglegions——thecaptivesandthepicturedcities——wereindeedwantingtohisvictoriousprocession。ThesceptrehadpassedawayfromRome。Butshestillretainedthemightierinfluenceofanintellectualempire，andwasnowtoconfertheprouderrewardofanintellectualtriumph。Tothemanwhohadextendedthedominionofherancientlanguage——whohaderectedthetrophiesofphilosophyandimaginationinthehauntsofignoranceandferocity——whosecaptivesweretheheartsofadmiringnationsenchainedbytheinfluenceofhissong——whosespoilswerethetreasuresofancientgeniusrescuedfromobscurityanddecay——theEternalCityofferedthejustandglorioustributeofhergratitude。Amidsttheruinedmonumentsofancientandtheinfanterectionsofmodernart，hewhohadrestoredthebrokenlinkbetweenthetwoagesofhumancivilisationwascrownedwiththewreathwhichhehaddeservedfromthemodernswhoowedtohimtheirrefinement——fromtheancientswhoowedtohimtheirfame。
NeverwasacoronationsoaugustwitnessedbyWestminsterorbyRheims。
Whenweturnfromthisgloriousspectacletotheprivatechamberofthepoet，——whenwecontemplatethestruggleofpassionandvirtue，——theeyedimmed，thecheekfurrowed，bythetearsofsinfulandhopelessdesire，——whenwereflectonthewholehistoryofhisattachment，fromthegayfantasyofhisyouthtothelingeringdespairofhisage，pityandaffectionminglewithouradmiration。Evenafterdeathhadplacedthelastsealonhismisery，weseehimdevotingtothecauseofthehumanmindallthestrengthandenergywhichloveandsorrowhadspared。Helivedtheapostleofliterature;——hefellitsmartyr:——hewasfounddeadwithhisheadreclinedonabook。
ThosewhohavestudiedthelifeandwritingsofPetrarchwithattention，willperhapsbeinclinedtomakesomedeductionsfromthispanegyric。Itcannotbedeniedthathismeritsweredisfiguredbyamostunpleasantaffectation。Hiszealforliteraturecommunicatedatingeofpedantrytoallhisfeelingsandopinions。Hislovewastheloveofasonnetteer:——hispatriotismwasthepatriotismofanantiquarian。Theinterestwithwhichwecontemplatetheworks，andstudythehistory，ofthosewho，informerages，haveoccupiedourcountry，arisesfromtheassociationswhichconnectthemwiththecommunityinwhicharecomprisedalltheobjectsofouraffectionandourhope。InthemindofPetrarchthesefeelingswerereversed。HelovedItaly，becauseitaboundedwiththemonumentsoftheancientmastersoftheworld。Hisnativecity——thefairandgloriousFlorence——themodernAthens，theninallthebloomandstrengthofitsyouth，couldnotobtain，fromthemostdistinguishedofitscitizens，anyportionofthatpassionatehomagewhichhepaidtothedecrepitudeofRome。Theseandmanyotherblemishes，thoughtheymustincandourbeacknowledged，canbutinaveryslightdegreediminishthegloryofhiscareer。Formyownpart，IlookuponitwithsomuchfondnessandpleasurethatIfeelreluctanttoturnfromittotheconsiderationofhisworks，whichIbynomeanscontemplatewithequaladmiration。