Attavanti, Paul

, generally known in Italy by the name of Father Paul of Florence, was born in that city in 1419. He entered early in life into the religious order of the Servites, that is, the Servants of the Blessed Virgin, instituted first in 1223, in Tuscany, by some Florentine merchants. To great piety he is said to have added a portion of learning, not very common in his time, and Marsilius Ficinus compared his eloquence to the charms of Orpheus. He was intimate with the most learned men of his time, and was often present at the Platonic academy which met in the palace of Lorenzo de Medici. He contributed much to the extent of his order in Piedmont, Savoy, and Switzerland, and became provincial in Tuscany. He died at Florence, in May 1499. His works were, 1. “Vita beati Joachimi,” inserted in Bollandus’s Acts of the Saints. 2. “Quadragesimale de reditu peccatoris ad Deum,” Milan, 1479, 4to. 3. “Breviarium totius juris canonici,” Milan, 1478, 1479, fol. Memmingen, 1486, Basil. 1487, 4to. 4. “Expositio in Psalmos prenitentiales,” Milan, 1479, 4 to. 5. “De origine ordinis Servorum beatae Marias dialogus.” This work, which was written in 1456, and dedicated to Peter de Medici, the son of Cosmo and the father of Lorenzo, was not printed until 1727, Parma, 4to, and Lami published a second edition, more correct, at Florence in 1741, 8vo, with a Life of the author. Attavanti left ajso many works in manuscript. ²