Beverini, Bartholomew

, a learned Italian of the seventeenth century, was born at Lucca, May 5, 1629. In classical learning he made such progress, that, when | only fifteen, he wrote notes and comments on the principal poets of the Augustan age, which drew the notice and approbation of the learned. In his sixteenth year, he went to Rome and entered the congregation of the regular clerks, called the congregation of the “Mother of God.” After completing his theological studies, he taught divinity for four years, at the end of which he was invited to Lucca to be professor of rhetoric. From the salary of this place he was enabled to maintain his aged father and family, and would not afterwards accept of any promotion from his congregation, that his studies might not be interrupted by affairs of business. He corresponded with many illustrious personages of his time, and among others with Christina, queen of Sweden, who often requested of him copies of his sermons and poems. The facility with which he wrote appears by his translation of the Eneid, which he says, in the preface, he completed in thirteen months. He died of a malignant fever, Oct. 24, 1686. He left a great many works, of which his biographer, Fabroni, has given a minute catalogue. The principal are 1. “Saeculum niveum Roma virginea et Dies niveus,” three small Latin collections on the same subject, “De nivibus Exquilinis, sive de sacris nivibus,” Rome, 1650, 1651, and

1652, 4to, each containing two discourses or harangues, and a Latin and Italian idyl. 2. “Rime,” Lucca, 1654, 12mo, reprinted at Rome 1666, with additions, and dedicated to queen Christina. 3. “Discorsi sacri,” Lucca,

1653, 12mo, Venice, 1682. 4. “Carminum Lib. VII.” ibid. 1674, 12mo. 5. “Eneide di Virgilio, trasportata in ottavo rima,” ibid, 1680, 12mo. This much esteemed translation has been often reprinted. The last edition is that of Rome, 1700, 4to. 6. “Prediche, discorsi, e lezioni,” a posthumous work, Vienna, 1692, 4to. 7. “Syntagma de pondaribus et mensuris,” another posthumous work, Lucca, 1711, 8vo, a very learned performance, often reprinted, and added to all collections on the subject. Among his unpublished works is a historical account of Lucca, which it is rather surprizing, should have been so long left in that state it is entitled “Annalium ah origine Lucensis urbis Lib. XV.” Fabroni, who highly praises these annals, seems at a loss to account for their not having been published, but informs us that Beverini had his enemies as well as his admirers. ¹