, one of the most eminent Italian poets, was born Sept. 8, 1474. His
, one of the most eminent Italian poets, was born Sept. 8, 1474. His father, while he was in the government of Rheggio, in Lombardy, espoused Daria de Malaguzzi, a lady of wealth and family, descended from one of the first houses in llneggio, and by her had five aons, Ludovico, Gabriele, Carlo, Galasso, and Alessandro; and the same number of daughters. These sons were all well accomplished, and, for their many excellent qualities, patronised by several princes. Gabriele gave himself up to literary pursuits, and is, said to have arrived at great excellence in Latin poetry, but to have been too close an imitator of Statius: he died at Ferrara. Carlo, who was of a disposition more inclined to dissipation and gaiety, led the life of a courtier, and. died at the court of Naples. Galasso embraced the profession of the church, was employed in several important offices, and, at last, ended his days, ambassador from the duke of fc'crrara, at the court of Charles V. Alessandro, who was of an inquisitive and enterprising genius, having spent great part of his time in visiting foreign countries, at last finished his life in Ferrara.
, one of the most eminent Italian poets and scholars, and one of the
, one of the most eminent Italian
poets and scholars, and one of the revivers of literature in
Europe, was born in 1313. His father was a merchant of
Florence, when to be a merchant was the first of situations,
and his family was originally of Certaldo, a village about
twenty miles from Florence, which accounts for Boccaccio
always adding to his name the words “da Certaldo.
” He was
not, therefore, the son of a peasant, as reported by some
biographers, but it cannot be denied that he was the fruit
of an illicit connection which his father formed at Paris,
where he happened to be on commercial 'business, and
where this son was born, and it appears, likewise, that his
father was not very rich. Being, however, brought early
to Florence, his education commenced there, and he is
said to hav e evinced a decided attachment to poetry before
he was ten years old, about which time his father placed
him in a merchant’s counting-house, to learn- arithmetic
and book-keeping, that he might be the sooner enabled to
provide for him among his connections. Some years after,
this merchant took him to Paris, where he went to set up
in business, and for six years, during which Boccaccio
resided in his house, endeavoured to reconcile him to
trade; but finding after every experiment, either by persuasion or constraint, that this was impossible, he at length
sent him home to his father.