RANCIS PETRARCH, a celebrated Italian poet, born at Arezzo, in 1804. He studied grammar, rhetoric, and philosophy, four years at Carpentras; whence he went to Montpelier, where he studied the law. His father and mother dying of the plague at Avignon, he returned to that city when twenty-two years of age to settle his domestic affairs, and purchased a country-house, in a very solitary but agreeable situation, called Vaucluse; where he first saw the beautiful Laura, with whom he fell in love, and whom he has immortalized in his poems. He travelled into France, the Netherlands, and Germany; and at his return to Avignon, entered into the service of Pope John XXII., who employed him in several important affairs. Petrarch expected some considerable posts; but being disappointed, he applied himself entirely to poetry; in which he met with such applause, that in the same day he received letters from Rome and Paris, inviting him to receive the poetic crown. He preferred Rome, and received that crown from the senate and people on the 8th of April, 1341. His love of solitude at length induced him to return to Vaucluse; but, after the death of the beautiful Laura, Provence became insupportable to him, and he returned to Italy in 1352; when, being at Milan, Galeas Viceconti made him counsellor of state. Petrarch spent almost all the rest of his life in travelling to and from the different cities in Italy. He was archdeacon of Parma, and canon at Padua; but never received the order of priesthood. All the princes and great men of his time gave hi'n public marks of their esteem;

and while he lived at Arcqua, three miles from Padua, the Florentines sent Boccace to him with letters, inviting him to Florence, and informing him that they restored to him all the estate of which his father and mother had been deprived during the dissensions between the Guelphs and Gibelines. He died a few years after at Arcqua, in 1374. He wrote many works that have rendered his memory immortal; printed in four volumes, folio. His life has been written by several authors; particularly by Mrs. Susanna Dobson, in two volumes, 8vo.

OACHIM MURAT was born in 1767. His father was the keeper of an humble country inn, who had once been steward to the wealthy family of the Talleyrands. From early youth, Murat was distinguished by his daring courage, and his skill in horsemanship. He was originally intended for the church, but having, in his twentieth year, run away with, and fought a duel for, a pretty girl of the neighbourhood, all his ecclesiastical hopes were crushed by the notoriety which this affair brought upon him. He therefore entered the army, made himself conspicuous by his revolutionary enthusiasm, and, in one month, fought not less than six duels! He soon gained promotion, and, in the affair of the Sections, made himself so useful to Bonaparte, that, when appointed to the command of the army of Italy, that general placed him on Lis personal staff. Shortly afterwards Murat was promoted to the rank of general of brigade; accompanied Napoleon in his Egyptian expedition; and returned with him to Paris, where he married Caroline Bonaparte, his patron's youngest sister. On the establishment of the Empire, he was created Marshal of France, and, in 1806, invested with the grand-duchy

of Berg and Cleves. In 1808, he entered Madrid with a formidable army, and sullied his reputation by his exactions and cruelties. He was afterwards appointed to the throne of Naples, but was rendered constantly uneasy by the system of jealous espionage pursued towards him by Napoleon. In 1812, he joined the emperor in his Russian expedition, and was placed over the whole cavalry of the grand army, in which position he rendered himself so conspicuous by his daring that the very Cossacks held him in respect and admiration. When the French reached the heights which overlook Moscow, Murat, glancing at his soiled garments, did not think them worthy of an occasion so important as that of entering the Sacred City. He retired, therefore, to his tent, and soon came out dressed in his most magnificent costume. His tall plume, the splendid trappings of his steed, and the grace with which he managed the animal, drew forth loud shouts of applause from the Cossacks who were under the walls of the city. As an armistice had been previously agreed upon, he remained for two hours in the midst of his new admirers, who pressed round him, and even called him their Hetman, so delighted were they with his courage and generosity. When Napoleon quitted Russia, Murat was left in command, but he was unequal to his trying duties, and returned dispirited to Naples, greatly to the emperor's dissatisfaction. In the German campaign of 1813, he fought nobly at Dresden and Leipsic, but, immediately after this last battle, deserted the imperial standard. On Napoleon's escape from Elba, Murat put an army of fifty thousand men in motion, in order, as he said, to secure the independence of Italy, but was defeated by the Austrians and English. After the battle of Waterloo, he wandered about for some months as a fugitive; but, being discovered, was seized, tried, and ordered to be shot, by Ferdinand, the then reigning king of Naples. When the fatal moment arrived, Murat walked with a firm step to the place of execution. He would not accept a chair, nor suffer his eyes to be bound. He stood upright, with his face towards the soldiers, and when all was ready, kissed a cornelian on which the head of his wife was engraved, and gave the word thus: "Save my face-aim at my heart -fire!" Murat left two daughters and two sons; the elder of his sons is a citizen of the United States, and said to be a youth of very superior promise.

With respect to Murat's beauty, and the nobleness of his figure, which have been so much insisted on, said the Duchess of Abrantes, it is a point which will bear discussion. I do not admit that a man is handsome because he is large, and always dressed for a carnival. Murat's features were not good, and I may even add that, considering him as detached from his curled hair, his plumes, and his embroidery, he was plain. There was something of the negro in his countenance, though his nose was not flat; but very thick lips, and a nose, which, though aquiline, had nothing of

nobleness in its form, gave to his physiognomy a mongrei expression a. least.

"Murat," said Napoleon, "is a good soldier-one of the most brilliant men I ever saw on a field of battle. Of no superior talents, without much moral courage, timid even in forming his plan of operations; but the moment he saw the enemy, all that vanished-his eye was the most sure, and the most rapid; his courage truly chivalrous. Moreover, he is a fine man, tall, and well-dressed, though at times rather fantastically-in short, a magnificent lazzarone. It was really a magnificent sight to see him in battle heading the cavalry."