One of the great poets of the 14th century, Italian scholar Francesco Petrarch is also regarded as the father of the humanist movement. The Secret, Petrarch's autobiographical treatise translated here from the Latin, represents a humanist manifesto central to understanding European culture during the early modern period. Carol Quillen's introductory essay to this volume illuminates the development of humanist practices, Petrarch's role in the dissemination of humanist ideas, the importance of The Secret as a humanist text, and the enduring historical significance of the humanist tradition in Western thought and culture. Also included are several illustrations, a chronology, a selected bibliography, and questions for consideration.