James Lacaita
Encyclopedia
Sir James Lacaita K.C.M.G
was Anglo-Italian politician and writer.
Lacaita was born at Manduria
in southern Italy
he practised law in Naples
, and having come in contact with a number of prominent Englishmen and Americans in that city he acquired a desire to study the English language
. Although a moderate Liberal in politics, he never joined any secret society but in 1851 after the restoration of Bourbon
autocracy he was arrested for having supplied Gladstone
with information or Bourbon misrule. Through the intervention of the British
and Russia
n ministers he was liberated, but on the publication of Gladstones famous letters to Lord Aberdeen he was obliged to leave Naples.
He first settled in Edinburgh
, where he married Maria Carmichael, and then in London where he made numerous friends in literary and political circles, and was professor of Italian at Queens College from 1853 to 1856. In the latter year he accompanied Lord Minto
to Italy, on which occasion he first met Cavour. From 1857 to 1863 he was private secretary (non-political) to Lord Lansdowne, and in 1858 he accompanied Gladstone to the Ionian Islands as secretary, for which services he was made a K.C.M.G. the following year.
In 1860 Francis II. of Naples had implored Napoleon III to send a squadron to prevent Garibaldi from crossing over from Sicily to Calabria; the emperor expressed himself willing to do so provided Great Britain co-operated, and Lord John Russell was at first inclined to agree. At this juncture Cavour, having heard of the scheme, entrusted Lacaita, at the suggestion of Sir James Hudson, the British minister at Turin, with the task of inducing Russell to refuse co-operation. Lacaita, who was an intimate friend both of Russell and his wife, succeeded, with the help of the latter, in winning over the British statesman just as he was about to accept the Franco-Neapolitan proposal, which was in consequence abandoned. He returned to Naples late in 1860 and the following year was elected member of parliament for Bitonto
, although he had been naturalized a British subject in 1855. He took little part in parliamentary politics, but in 1876 was created senator. He was actively interested in a number of English companies operating in Italy, and was made one of the directors of the Italian Southern Railway Co. He had a wide circle of friends in many European countries and in America, including a number of the most famous men in politics and literature. He died in 1895 at Posilipo near Naples.
An authority on Dante
, he gave many lectures on Italian literature
and history while in England; and among his writings may be mentioned a large number of articles on Italian subjects in the Encyclopaedia (i 8571860), and an edition of Benvenuto da Imola's
Latin lectures on Dante delivered in 1375; he cooperated with Lord Vernon in the latters great edition of Dantes Inferno (London, 1858-1865), and he compiled a catalogue in four volumes of the duke of Devonshires library at Chatsworth (London, 1879).
Lacaita married Maria Clavering Gibson-Carmichael daughter of Sir Thomas Gibson-Carmichael
. Their son Charles Carmichael Lacaita
was a Member of Parliament and botanist.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
was Anglo-Italian politician and writer.
Lacaita was born at Manduria
Manduria
Manduria is a city and comune of Apulia, Italy, in the province of Taranto. With c. 30,000 inhabitants, it is located 35 km east of Taranto, and 14 km north of the coast.-History:...
in southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
he practised law in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, and having come in contact with a number of prominent Englishmen and Americans in that city he acquired a desire to study the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Although a moderate Liberal in politics, he never joined any secret society but in 1851 after the restoration of Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
autocracy he was arrested for having supplied Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
with information or Bourbon misrule. Through the intervention of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n ministers he was liberated, but on the publication of Gladstones famous letters to Lord Aberdeen he was obliged to leave Naples.
He first settled in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, where he married Maria Carmichael, and then in London where he made numerous friends in literary and political circles, and was professor of Italian at Queens College from 1853 to 1856. In the latter year he accompanied Lord Minto
Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 2nd Earl of Minto
Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 2nd Earl of Minto GCB, PC , styled as Viscount Melgund between 1813 and 1814, was a British diplomat and Whig politician.-Background and education:...
to Italy, on which occasion he first met Cavour. From 1857 to 1863 he was private secretary (non-political) to Lord Lansdowne, and in 1858 he accompanied Gladstone to the Ionian Islands as secretary, for which services he was made a K.C.M.G. the following year.
In 1860 Francis II. of Naples had implored Napoleon III to send a squadron to prevent Garibaldi from crossing over from Sicily to Calabria; the emperor expressed himself willing to do so provided Great Britain co-operated, and Lord John Russell was at first inclined to agree. At this juncture Cavour, having heard of the scheme, entrusted Lacaita, at the suggestion of Sir James Hudson, the British minister at Turin, with the task of inducing Russell to refuse co-operation. Lacaita, who was an intimate friend both of Russell and his wife, succeeded, with the help of the latter, in winning over the British statesman just as he was about to accept the Franco-Neapolitan proposal, which was in consequence abandoned. He returned to Naples late in 1860 and the following year was elected member of parliament for Bitonto
Bitonto
Bitonto is a city and comune in the province of Bari , Italy. It is nicknamed the "City of Olives" due to the numerous olive groves surrounding the city.-Geography:...
, although he had been naturalized a British subject in 1855. He took little part in parliamentary politics, but in 1876 was created senator. He was actively interested in a number of English companies operating in Italy, and was made one of the directors of the Italian Southern Railway Co. He had a wide circle of friends in many European countries and in America, including a number of the most famous men in politics and literature. He died in 1895 at Posilipo near Naples.
An authority on Dante
DANTE
Delivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
, he gave many lectures on Italian literature
Italian literature
Italian literature is literature written in the Italian language, particularly within Italy. It may also refer to literature written by Italians or in Italy in other languages spoken in Italy, often languages that are closely related to modern Italian....
and history while in England; and among his writings may be mentioned a large number of articles on Italian subjects in the Encyclopaedia (i 8571860), and an edition of Benvenuto da Imola's
Benvenuto Rambaldi da Imola
Benvenuto Rambaldi da Imola, or simply and perhaps more accurately Benvenuto da Imola was an Italian scholar and historian, a lecturer at Bologna. He is now best known for his commentary on Dante's Divine Comedy.-Life:...
Latin lectures on Dante delivered in 1375; he cooperated with Lord Vernon in the latters great edition of Dantes Inferno (London, 1858-1865), and he compiled a catalogue in four volumes of the duke of Devonshires library at Chatsworth (London, 1879).
Lacaita married Maria Clavering Gibson-Carmichael daughter of Sir Thomas Gibson-Carmichael
Gibson-Craig-Carmichael Baronets
The Gibson, later Gibson-Carmichael, later Gibson-Craig-Carmichael Baronetcy, of Keirhill in the County of Edinburgh, is a title in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. It was created on 31 December 1702 for Thomas Gibson, with remainder to his heirs male whatsoever. The sixth Baronet assumed the...
. Their son Charles Carmichael Lacaita
Charles Carmichael Lacaita
Charles Carmichael Lacaita was a British botanist and Liberal politician.Lacaita was the only son of Sir James Philip Lacaita and his wife Maria Clavering Gibson-Carmichael daughter of Sir Thomas Gibson-Carmichael. He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford and was called to the bar at Lincoln's...
was a Member of Parliament and botanist.