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THE

LIFE

OF

SIGNR. MAGLIA BECHI.

A

MONG the Number of eminent Men, which the City of Florence has produced fince the Revival of Literature, one of the most extraordinary, and of the most celebrated in his Time, was Antonio Magliabechi, And indeed there are fuch uncommon Things afferted of him, and fo far exceeding the Bounds of Probability, as may feem to require fome Apology even for repeating them; it may therefore not be improper to premise, that the chief Authorities on which the following Account of him is founded, are Florentines; that the Italians in general, and the Florentines in particular, delight in a higher and larger way of Speaking than is usual among us; that they deal much in Superlatives; and that their Superlative, like that in the Latin Language from whence it is derived, fignifies, very much; as

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well as the Moft: That whatever I have quoted from Books, is, in general, very punctually referred to in the Notes, and often, the very Words of the Authors inferted; and that whatever is not so authorized, is what I have learned, in Converfation with Gentlemen of the City of Florence, who were perfonally acquainted with Magliabechi, Men of Learning and Reputation, and of very good Credit, both for Knowledge and Veracity. Thus affifted, I have undertaken to give fome Account of this extraordinary, and fo much admired Man.

Magliabechi was born at Florence, on the 29th of October [a], in the Year 1633. His Parents were of fo low and mean a Rank, that they were very well fatisfied when they had got him into the Service of a Man who fold Herbs and Fruit. He had never learned to read; and yet he was perpetually poring over the Leaves of old Books, that were used as wafte Paper in his Mafter's Shop. A Bookfeller, who lived in the Neighbourhood, and who had often obferved this, and knew the Boy could not read, afked him one Day, "What he meaned "by ftaring fo much on printed Paper ?" He said, "That he did not know how it was, but that he "loved it of all Things; that he was very uneasy "in the Business he was in, and fhould be the "happiest Creature in the World, if he could live "with him, who had always fo many Books about

[a] From this Article in Moreri's Dictionary. Viceron, in his Memoires pour fervir à l' Hiftoire des Hommes Illuftres, says, it was on the 28th,

" him."

him." The Bookfeller was aftonifhed, and yet pleased with his Anfwer; and at last told him, that he fhould not be difinclined to take him into his Shop, if his Master would be willing to part with him. Young Magliabechi thanked him with Tears of Joy in his Eyes; and his Happiness was highly encreased, when his Mafter, on the Bookfeller's Defire, gave him Leave to go where he pleafed. He went therefore directly to his new and much-defired Bufinefs [b]; and had not been long in it, before he could find out any Book that was afked for, as ready as the Bookfeller could himself. Some time after this, he learned to read, and as foon as he had, he was always [c] reading when he could.

He seems never to have applied himself to any particular Study. A Paffion for Reading was his ruling Paffion; and prodigious Memory his great Talent. He read every Book almost indifferently, as they happened to come into his Hands. He read them with a furprizing Quickness, and yet re tained not only the Senfe of what he read, but

[b] This Account I had from a Gentleman of Florence, who was very well acquainted with Magliabechi and his Family. There are other Accounts very different from this. Salvini fays, that he was at firft in an honourable, but not literary Employ: And Father. Niceron, that he was Apprentice to a Goldsmith. I do not pretend to determine, which of the three Accounts are the truest.

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[c] "Ne' Libri, che effer dovenano di tutto il fuo vivere compagni "infeparibili; ne' Libri, uniche delizie, unici fuoi amori, f' intrat❝teneva. Salvini, Orat. Fum. p. 7. And he speaks of his "Virtuofa Bramafa di fempre legere," juft after; and confirms thefe Paffages in feveral other Places. See Pages 9, 11, 22, and 27; ibid.

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often all the Words, and the very Manner of fpelling them, if there was any thing peculiar of that kind in any Author.

His extraordinary Application, and Talents, foon recommended him to Ermini [d], and Marimi [e], the Great Duke's Librarian. He was by them introduced into the Converfations of the learned, and made known at Court: And began to be looked upon every where as a Prodigy [f], particularly for his vaft and unbounded Memory.

It is faid, that there was a Trial made of the Force of his Memory, which if true, is very amazing. A Gentleman at Florence, who had written a Piece which was to be printed, lent the Manufcript to Magliabechi; and, some Time after it had been returned with Thanks, came to him again with a melancholy Face, and told him of fome invented Accident, by which, he said, he had loft his Manuscript: The Author feemed almoft inconfolable for the Lofs of his Work, and intreated Magliabechi, whofe Character for remembring what he read was already very great, to try to recollect

[d] Librarian to the Cardinal of Medicis.

[e] Father Niceron names these two as his great Friends; and it may probably be of the latter that Salvini fays, "Un nobile, let❝terato, e generofo spirito della citta noftro dal fuo impiego il levo; "e nelle letterarie converfazioni lo introduffe: e ella Real Corte di"Tofcana il fe conofcere." Or. Fun. p. 8.

[] "Fu egli amirato fin da principio, come un prodigio, di quella "parte principalmente dell' Anima che Memoria s' appella." Ib,

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