FABBRONI

fabbroni, angelo (1732-1803), italian biographer, was born at marradi in tuscany on the 25th of september 1732. after studying at faenza he entered the roman college founded for the education of young tuscans. on the conclusion of his studies he continued his stay in rome, and having been introduced to the celebrated jansenist bottari, received from him the canonry of santa teresa in trastevere. some time after this he was chosen to preach a discourse in the pontifical chapel before benedict xiv. and made such a favourable impression that the pontiff settled on him an annuity, with the possession of which fabbroni was able to devote his whole time to study. he was intimate with leopold i., grand-duke of tuscany, but the jesuits disliked him on account of his jansenist views. besides his other literary labours he began at pisa in 1771 a literary journal, which he continued till 1796. about 1772 he made a journey to paris, where he formed the acquaintance of condorcet, diderot, d'alembert, rousseau and most of the other eminent frenchmen of the day. he also spent four months in london. he died at pisa on the 22nd of september 1803. the following are his principal works:--_vitae italorum doctrina excellentium qui saeculis xvii. et xviii. floruerunt_ (20 vols., pisa, 1778-1799, 1804-1805), the last two vols., published posthumously, contain a life of the author; _laurentii medicei magnifici vita_ (2 vols., pisa, 1784), a work which served as a basis for h. roscoe's _life of lorenzo dei medici_; _leonis x. pontificis maximi vita_ (pisa, 1797); and _elogi di dante alighieri, di angelo poliziano, di lodovico ariosto, e di torq. tasso_ (parma, 1800).