The New International Encyclopædia/Botta, Vincenzo

BOTTA, Vincenzo (1818-94). An Italian-American educator. He was born in Piedmont, Italy, was educated at the University of Turin, became a professor there, was elected to the Sardinian Parliament in 1849, and was appointed commissioner to examine the German educational system in 1850. He came to the United States for the same purpose in 1853, and soon afterwards was naturalized and appointed professor of Italian language and literature in the University of the City of New York. He remained in this position till his death. In 1855 he married Anne Charlotte Lynch, a well-known author. His best-known works are: Account of the System of Education in Piedmont; Character and Policy of Cavour (1862); Dante as a Philosopher, Patriot, and Poet (1865); and “An Historical Account of Modern Philosophy in Italy,” in Ueberweg's History of Philosophy from Thales to the Present Time (1872).