, a learned Italian of the seventeenth century, was born at Lucca,
, 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,