, a famous Augustine monk, born May 28, 1696, at Serravezza, a small
, a famous Augustine monk,
born May 28, 1696, at Serravezza, a small village in Tuscany, was called to Rome by his superiors, and obtained
the title of assistant-general of Italy, and the place of prefect of the papal library. His great proficiency in theological studies procured him these distinctions, and appeared
to advantage in his grand work, “De disciplinis theologicis,
” printed at Rome in 8 vols. 4to. He here adopts the
sentiments of St. Augustine in their utmost rigour, after
the example of Bellelli his brother- monk. The archbishop
of Vienna [Salmon], or rather the Jesuits who managed
him, published under his name in 1744, two pieces against
the two Augustine theologues, inveighing against them as
being too severely Augustine. The first is entitled,
“Ba'ianismus redivivus in scriptis pp. Bellelli et Berti,
” in
4to. The second bore this title “Jansenismus redivivus
in scriptis pp. Bellelli et Berti,
” in 4to. At the same time
father Berti was accused to pope Benedict XIV. as a disciple of Ba'ius and of Jansenitis. The prudent pontiff, without returning any answer to the accusers, advised Berti to
defend himself; which he accordingly did in a work of
two vols. 4to, 1749. In this apology, rather long, though
learned and lively, he laid down the difference there is
between Jansenism and Augustinianism. After this piece
Berti brought out several others, the principal of which is
an ecclesiastical history in Latin, in 7 vols. 4to: it made
however but little way out of Italy, by reason of the dryness of the historian, and of his prejudices in favour of
exploded tenets. He speaks of the pope, both in his theology and in his history, as the absolute monarch of kingdoms and empires, and that all other princes are but his
lieutenants. Berti wrote also dissertations, dialogues, panegyrics, academical discourses, and some Italian poems,
which are by no means his best productions. An edition
in folio of all his works has been printed at Venice. He
died at the age of 70, May 26, 1766, at Pisa, whither he
had been called by Francis I. grand duke of Tuscany.