Angelo Fabroni
Encyclopedia
Angelo Fabroni was an Italian biographer and historian.
He was born at Marradi
in Tuscany
to Alessandro and Iancinta Fabroni, of a banking family formerly of great fortune. After studying with tutors and at Faenza
, in 1750 he entered the Collegio Bandinelli in Rome, founded for the education of young Tuscans. His father having died that year, Piero Francesco Foggini took an interest in the young man's education. Fabroni became a priest.
On the conclusion of his studies he continued his stay in Rome, and having been introduced to the celebrated Jansenist
historian, Giovanni Gaetano Bottari
, the librarian of the Corsini, he translated some meditative works of Pasquier Quesnel
and received from Bottari a canonry at Santa Teresa in Trastevere. With Bottari's aid he presented a polished Latin life of Pope Clement XII Corsini
, for which Cardinal Corsini defrayed the printing costs and made a handsome present to its author. Some time after this Fabroni was chosen to preach a Latin discourse in the pontifical chapel before Benedict XIV, with whom he made such a favorable impression that the pontiff settled on him an annuity, in the possession of which Fabbroni was able to devote his whole time to study. Fabroni was asked to deliver the funeral oration in 1766 for James Stuart, the "Old Pretender"
to the throne of Great Britain. He was intimate with Leopold Peter
, Grand Duke of Tuscany, who appointed him prior of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence (1767); two years later, Fabroni took leave to pursue promises of preferment at Rome, made by Pope Clement XIV Ganganelli
, in which he was disappointed.
He was at work on the biographical dictionary of Italian men of letters for which he is remembered; the first volume was published in 1766, and was met with criticism, for the Jesuits disliked him on account of his Jansenist views. Besides his other literary labors he began at Pisa
in 1771 a literary journal, Giornale de' letterati, which he continued till 1796, by which time 102 fascicles had appeared, many from his own pen. About 1772, funded by the Grand Duke, he made a journey to Paris, where he formed the acquaintance of Condorcet, Diderot, d'Alembert, Rousseau and most of the other Encyclopédistes
— whom he found to be leaders of impiety— and other eminent Frenchmen of the day. He also spent four months in London, of which he also disapproved, where Benjamin Franklin
fruitlessly urged him to go to America. He returned to Tuscany in 1773. Later he corresponded with Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
. He died in retirement among the Carthusians at Pisa.
His principal works were: Vitae Italorum doctrina excellentium qui saeculis XVII. et XVIII. floruerunt (20 vols., Pisa, 1778-1799, 1804-1805); Laurentii Medicei Magnifici Vita (2 vols., Pisa, 1784), which served as a basis for William Roscoe
's Life of Lorenzo de' Medici
; Leonis X
pontificis maximi Vita (Pisa, 1797); and Elogi di Dante Alighieri
, di Angelo Poliziano, di Lodovico Ariosto, e di Torquato Tasso
(Parma, 1800).
He was born at Marradi
Marradi
Marradi is a comune in the Province of Florence in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 45 km northeast of Florence...
in Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
to Alessandro and Iancinta Fabroni, of a banking family formerly of great fortune. After studying with tutors and at Faenza
Faenza
Faenza is an Italian city and comune, in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated 50 km southeast of Bologna.Faenza is noted for its manufacture of majolica ware glazed earthenware pottery, known from the name of the town as "faience"....
, in 1750 he entered the Collegio Bandinelli in Rome, founded for the education of young Tuscans. His father having died that year, Piero Francesco Foggini took an interest in the young man's education. Fabroni became a priest.
On the conclusion of his studies he continued his stay in Rome, and having been introduced to the celebrated Jansenist
Jansenism
Jansenism was a Christian theological movement, primarily in France, that emphasized original sin, human depravity, the necessity of divine grace, and predestination. The movement originated from the posthumously published work of the Dutch theologian Cornelius Otto Jansen, who died in 1638...
historian, Giovanni Gaetano Bottari
Giovanni Gaetano Bottari
Giovanni Gaetano Bottari was an Italian librarian and counsellor to pope Clement XII Corsini. He is the author of several treatises about art and artists. Amongst his works is Dialoghi sopra le tre Arti del Disegno, published in Lucca, 1754...
, the librarian of the Corsini, he translated some meditative works of Pasquier Quesnel
Pasquier Quesnel
Pasquier Quesnel was a French Jansenist theologian.He was born in Paris, and, after graduating from the Sorbonne with distinction in 1653, he joined the French Oratory in 1657...
and received from Bottari a canonry at Santa Teresa in Trastevere. With Bottari's aid he presented a polished Latin life of Pope Clement XII Corsini
Pope Clement XII
Pope Clement XII , born Lorenzo Corsini, was Pope from 12 July 1730 to 6 February 1740.Born in Florence, the son of Bartolomeo Corsini, Marquis of Casigliano and his wife Isabella Strozzi, sister of the Duke of Bagnuolo, Corsini had been an aristocratic lawyer and financial manager under preceding...
, for which Cardinal Corsini defrayed the printing costs and made a handsome present to its author. Some time after this Fabroni was chosen to preach a Latin discourse in the pontifical chapel before Benedict XIV, with whom he made such a favorable impression that the pontiff settled on him an annuity, in the possession of which Fabbroni was able to devote his whole time to study. Fabroni was asked to deliver the funeral oration in 1766 for James Stuart, the "Old Pretender"
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
to the throne of Great Britain. He was intimate with Leopold Peter
Rulers of Tuscany
The rulers of Tuscany have varied over time, sometimes being margraves, the rulers of handfuls of border counties and sometimes the heads of the most important family of the region.-Margraves of Tuscany, 812–1197:House of Boniface*Boniface I, 812-813...
, Grand Duke of Tuscany, who appointed him prior of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence (1767); two years later, Fabroni took leave to pursue promises of preferment at Rome, made by Pope Clement XIV Ganganelli
Pope Clement XIV
Pope Clement XIV , born Giovanni Vincenzo Antonio Ganganelli, was Pope from 1769 to 1774. At the time of his election, he was the only Franciscan friar in the College of Cardinals.-Early life:...
, in which he was disappointed.
He was at work on the biographical dictionary of Italian men of letters for which he is remembered; the first volume was published in 1766, and was met with criticism, for the Jesuits disliked him on account of his Jansenist views. Besides his other literary labors he began at Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
in 1771 a literary journal, Giornale de' letterati, which he continued till 1796, by which time 102 fascicles had appeared, many from his own pen. About 1772, funded by the Grand Duke, he made a journey to Paris, where he formed the acquaintance of Condorcet, Diderot, d'Alembert, Rousseau and most of the other Encyclopédistes
Encyclopédie
Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers was a general encyclopedia published in France between 1751 and 1772, with later supplements, revised editions, and translations. It was edited by Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d'Alembert...
— whom he found to be leaders of impiety— and other eminent Frenchmen of the day. He also spent four months in London, of which he also disapproved, where Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
fruitlessly urged him to go to America. He returned to Tuscany in 1773. Later he corresponded with Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold II , born Peter Leopold Joseph Anton Joachim Pius Gotthard, was Holy Roman Emperor and King of Hungary and Bohemia from 1790 to 1792, Archduke of Austria and Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1765 to 1790. He was a son of Emperor Francis I and his wife, Empress Maria Theresa...
. He died in retirement among the Carthusians at Pisa.
His principal works were: Vitae Italorum doctrina excellentium qui saeculis XVII. et XVIII. floruerunt (20 vols., Pisa, 1778-1799, 1804-1805); Laurentii Medicei Magnifici Vita (2 vols., Pisa, 1784), which served as a basis for William Roscoe
William Roscoe
William Roscoe , was an English historian and miscellaneous writer.-Life:He was born in Liverpool, where his father, a market gardener, kept a public house called the Bowling Green at Mount Pleasant. Roscoe left school at the age of twelve, having learned all that his schoolmaster could teach...
's Life of Lorenzo de' Medici
Lorenzo de' Medici
Lorenzo de' Medici was an Italian statesman and de facto ruler of the Florentine Republic during the Italian Renaissance. Known as Lorenzo the Magnificent by contemporary Florentines, he was a diplomat, politician and patron of scholars, artists and poets...
; Leonis X
Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X , born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, was the Pope from 1513 to his death in 1521. He was the last non-priest to be elected Pope. He is known for granting indulgences for those who donated to reconstruct St. Peter's Basilica and his challenging of Martin Luther's 95 Theses...
pontificis maximi Vita (Pisa, 1797); and Elogi di Dante Alighieri
Dante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
, di Angelo Poliziano, di Lodovico Ariosto, e di Torquato Tasso
Torquato Tasso
Torquato Tasso was an Italian poet of the 16th century, best known for his poem La Gerusalemme liberata , in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between Christians and Muslims at the end of the First Crusade, during the siege of Jerusalem...
(Parma, 1800).