To re-establish his health, he went to a village called Arqua, situated on the slope of a hill famous for the salubrity of its air, the goodness of its wines, and the beauty of its vineyards.

An everlasting spring reigns there, and the place commands a view of pleasingly-scattered villas.

Petrarch built himself a house on the high ground of the village, and he added to the vines of the country a great number of other fruit-trees.
He had scarcely fixed himself at Arqua, when he put his last hand to a work which he had begun in the year 1367.

To explain the subject of this work, and the circumstances which gave rise to it, I think it necessary to state what was the real cause of our poet's disgust at Venice.

He appeared there, no doubt, to lead an agreeable life among many friends, whose society was delightful to him.