NOTES
306. Marzo, 1821. The date of the Carbonari rising in Piedmont.
Grossi (page 440). Born at Bellano (Como). Studied law at Pavia, then went to Milan. A friend of Manzoni. Wrote in Milanese dialect at first. A romantic: wrote tales of chivalry in verse. [Opere Poetiche, Milano, 1877.]
Leopardi (page 441). Born at Recanati (south of Ancona); educated at home, owing to the prejudices of a too conservative father. An invalid throughout his life, he impaired a weak constitution by assiduous overwork. He escaped from his depressing native place in 1822 and went to Rome, where he met Niebuhr and Bunsen, who appreciated his genius, but he was obliged to return to Recanati. He went to Florence on several occasions, and in 1833 he was able to leave his home finally. Died at Naples in 1837. The greatest modern poet of Italy, and an accomplished scholar and philologist. Chief works: Canti; Paralipomeni, a heroi-comic history of contemporary events in the manner of the Homeric Βατραχομνομάχία; a parody of the Ars Poetlca; in prose: Operette Morali; Pensieri; Studi filologici; Epistolario, extending from 1812 until his death. [Opere, ed. Ranieri, Firenze, 1846; Poesie, ed. Mestica, Firenze, 1886.]
Carrer (page 481). Born at Venice; secretary of the Institute and professor of Literature at the Scuola Tecnica. Wrote poetry and edited Italian classics. [Opere Scelte, 2 vols., Firenze, 1855.]
Tommaseo (page 483). Born at Sebenica (Dalmatia). Studied law at Padua. Lived at Florence; had to leave in 1837 because of political allusions in his writings. Led a wandering life until 1861, v/hen he returned to Florence, blind. Wrote a great quantity of moral, political, and critical works. [Poesie, Firenze, 1872.]
