Petrarch

Overview

Francesco Petrarca (1304–1374), Italian poet and scholar, author of the Canzoniere, whose lyrics celebrate his unattainable love Laura (en.wikipedia «Petrarch»).

Relevance to Marie

She compares her own hopeless devotion to the Duke of Hamilton to Petrarch's: «Le duc, l'ombre, m'est ce que Laure était à Pétrarque...» (064.0381, 1 August 1876). The duke, who has never answered her, is an «ombre» (a shade), as Laura was for the poet. For the duke see DUKE_OF_HAMILTON.

References in Diary

• 1876-08-01 (064.0381), with a reader footnote

Sources

en.wikipedia «Petrarch» (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrarch).