ALGAROTI

, commonly called Count Algaroti, a celebrated Italian of the present century, well skilled in Architecture and the Newtonian philosophy, &c. Algaroti was born at Padua, but in what year has not been mentioned. Led by curiosity, as well as a desire of improvement, he travelled early into foreign countries; and was very young when he arrived in France in 1736. It was here that he composed his Newtonian Philosophy for the Ladies, as Fontenelle had done his Cartesian Astronomy, in the work intitled The Plurality of Worlds. He was much noticed by the king of Prussia, who conferred on him many marks of his esteem. He died at Pisa the 23d of May, 1764, and gave orders for his own mausoleum, with this inscription upon it; Hic jacet Algarotus, sed non omnis. He was esteemed to be well skilled in painting, sculpture, and architecture. His works, which are numerous, and upon a variety of subjects, abound with vivacity, elegance, and wit: a collection of them has lately been made, and printed at Leghorn; but that for which he is chiefly intitled to a place in this work is his Newtonian Philosophy for the Ladies, a sprightly, ingenious, and popular work.