Excerpt from The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL. D, Vol. 9 of 12 This obligation to amorous ditties owes, I believe, its original to the fame of Petrarch, who, in an age rude and uncultivated, by his tuneful homage to his Laura, refined the manners of the lettered world, and filled Europe with love and poetry. But the bafis of all excellence is truth he that profefies love ought to feel its power. Petrarch was a real lover, and Laura doubtlefs deferved his tendernefs. Of Cow ley, we are told by Barnes 35, who had means enough of information, that, whatever he may talk of his own inflammabxlity, and the variety of characters by which his heart was divided, he in reality was in love but once, and then never had refolution to tell his paflion. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.