The  arrival  of  tie  Emperor,  Hcniy  VTI.,  in  Italy,  revived  the
hopes  of  the  banished  Florentines;  and  Petracco.  in  order  to
■wait  the  event,  went  to  Pisa,  niiilher  he  brought  his  wife  and
Francesco,  who  was  now  in  his  eighth  year.  Petracco  remained
wilh  his  family  in  Pisa  for  several  months  ;  hut  tired  at  last  of
MlaciouB  hopes,  and  not  daring  to  trust  hiaiself  to  the  promiseg
of  the  popular  party,  who  offered  to  recall  him  to  Florence,  he
Bought  an  a^lum  in  Avignon,  a  place  to  which  many  Italians
■were  allured  by  the  hopes  of  honours  and  gain  at  the  pupal  resi-
dence. In  this  voyage,  Petracco  and  his  (mnily  were  neu'ly  ship-
I  wrecked  off  Marseilles.
But  the  numbers  that  crowded  to  Avignon,  and  its  lusurioiM
court,  rendered  tliat  city  an  uncomfortable  place  for  a  family  in
slender  circumstances.  Petracco  accordingly  removed  his  house-
licdd,  in  1316,  to  Carpentras,  a  small  quiet  town,  where  living
was  cheaper  than  at  Avignon.  There,  under  the  care  of  his
mother,  Petrarch  imbibed  his  first  instruction,  and  was  timght
by  one  Convennole  da  Prato  as  much  grammar  and  logic  a
^...11    !._    1 J    .±    1.1 __3 .U .J     1    _      . 3     I


oonid  be  learned  at  his  age.  and  more  than  could  be  learned  bv
t  aa  OTilinary  disciple  from  so  common-place  a  preceptor.  This
I  poor  master,  however,  had  sufficient  intelligence  to  appreciate  IJie
I  gtaaas  of  Petrarch,  whom  he  esteemed  and  honoured  beyond  all
F  nis  fithei  pupils.     On  the  other  hand,  his  illustrious  scholar

aided  liitn,  in  his  old  age  and  poveilj',  out  of  his  scanty  income.
Petrarch  used  to  couipuj"e  Conveimole  to  a  whetstone,  which  is


HIS  EABI.Y  STURLES.
