Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

letters have been printed in the "Sylloge Epistolarum," by Burman. Our Bentley mentions Gaspar Gevartins as a man famous in his day; and tells us, that " he undertook an edition of the poet Manilius, but was prevented by death" from executing it.'

GEWOLD (CHRISTOPHER), a learned historian and lawyer of the sixteenth century, was born in Franconia, but the dates of his birth and death are unknown, and even his works, although of great merit, have been for many years so scarce as to have escaped the knowledge of the foreign librarians and collectors. Maximilian, duke and afterwards elector of Bavaria, enrolled him in the number of his aulic counsellors, and made him at the same time keeper of the archives, a situation which enabled Gewold to bring to light many important historical documents, and to publish the following volumes: 1. "Genealogia serenissimorum Bojariæ ducum, et quorundam genuine effigies a Wolfgango Kiliano æri eleganter incise," Antwerp, 1605, fol. reprinted at Augsburgh, 1620, and again in German, in 1623. 2. "Chronicon monasterii Reicherspergensis in Bojoaria, ante annos CD congestum," &c. Munich, 1611, 4to. This is uncommonly rare, but has been reprinted in Ludewig's "Scriptores rerum Germanicarum." 3. "Antithesis ad clariss. viri Marquardi Freheri assertionem de Palatino electoratu," Munich, 1612, 4to. There were other pamphlets between Freher and Gewold on the same subject. 4. "Orationes Alberti Hungeri," Ingolstadt, 1616, 8vo. 5. "Henrici monachi in Rebdorf annales," ibid. 1618, 4to. 6. "Delineatio Norici veteris ejusque confinium," ibid. 1619, 4to. gulai Hunds metropolis Salisburgensis," a reprint at Munich, 1620, 3 vols. fol. by Gewold, with a continuation and notes. 8. "Defensio Ludovici IV. imperatoris ratione electionis contra Abr. Bzovium," Ingolstadt, 1618, 4to. 9. "Commentarius de septemviratu Romani imperii," ibid. 1621, 4to."

GHELEN. See GELENIUS.

1.

"Wi

GHILINI (JEROME), an Italian writer, born at Monza, in Milan, 1589, was educated by the Jesuits at Milan, in polite literature and philosophy. He went afterwards to Parma, where he began to apply himself to the civil and

Niceron, vol. XXXVIII.-Foppen Bibl. Belg.-Moreri.-Saxii Onomast,
Moreri.-Clement Bibl. Curieuse,

canon law; but was obliged to desist on account of ill health. He returned home, and upon the death of his father married; but, losing his wife, he became an ecclesiastic, and resumed the study of the canon law, of which he was made doctor. He died in 1670, leaving several works; the most considerable of which, and for which he is at present chiefly known, is his "Theatro d'Huomini Letterati." The first part of this was printed at Milan, 1633, in 8vo, but it was enlarged and reprinted in 2 vols. 4to, at Venice, 1647. Baillet says that this work is esteemed for its exactness, and for the diligence which the author has shewn in recording the principal acts and writings of those he treats of: but this is not the opinion of M. Monnoye, his annotator, nor of the learned in general. It is more generally agreed, that excepting a few articles, where more than ordinary pains seem to have been taken, Ghilini is a very injudicious author, deals in general and insipid panegyric, and is very careless in the matter of dates. This work, however, for want of a better, has been made much use of, and is even quoted at this day by those who know its imperfections.'

GHIRLANDAIO (DOMENICO), a painter, of whom Vasari speaks as being of the first rank in his time, was properly called CORRADI, and was born in 1449. He at first was employed by his father in his own profession of goldsmith, at Florence, who obtained the name of Ghirlandaio, by having been the first to make little metallic garlands (Ghirlandi) for children to wear. Domenico, after he had adopted painting as his profession, worked for the churches and convents in Florence, both in fresco and in oil, like other artists introducing into his pictures the portraits of his friends, but with more character than had hitherto been done there; and he was the first who left off gilding in pictures, and attempted to imitate its effects by colours. He was called to Rome by Sixtus IV. to assist other masters employed in painting his chapel. His works there were afterwards spoiled to make room for those of M. Angelo. He was highly honoured, and employed nobly; but his greatest glory is, having had the great hero of the art, M. Angelo, for a pupil. He died in 1493. His brothers, David and Benedetto, finished many of his works,

1 Niceron, vol. XXXIX.-Moreri,-Clement Bibl. Curieuse,

and educated his son Ridolfo to the art, who afterwards made great progress, and obtained esteem from Raphael himself, who invited him, but not successfully, to work in the Vatican. In Ridolfo's pictures, Mr. Fuseli says, "there is something analogous to the genius of Raphael; the composition, the vivacity of the face, the choice of colours, something ideal in the use of nature, betray similar maxims, with inferior powers." He died in 1560, aged seventyfive. 1

GIANNONE, or in Latin JANNONIUS (PETER), was born at Ischitella, a small town in Apulia, in the month of May 1676, and practised the law, but was much more distinguished as an historian. In 1723 he wrote a "History of Naples," in 4 vols. 4to. The style is pure, but the freedom with which he discussed several topics relating to the origin of the papal power gave so much offence to the court of Rome, that he was obliged to exile himself from his native country. He found an asylum with the king of Sardinia, who did not, however, dare to avow himself his protector, but chose rather to represent his situation as that of a prisoner. Giannone died in Piedmont in April 1748. Extracts from his history were afterwards printed in Holland, under the title of "Anecdotes Ecclesiastiques." His posthumous works were given to the world in a 4to volume, 1768, containing, among other miscellaneous matter, his profession of faith, and a justification of his history; and a life of him, by Leonard Panzini. There is a correct, but not very elegant French translation by Desmonceaux, Hague, 4 vols. 4to, and an English one, by capt. Ogilvie, in 1729-1731, in 2 vols. fol.

GIARDINI (FELIX), an eminent musician, and in many respects the greatest performer on the violin during the last century, was a native of Piedmont; and when a boy, was a chorister in the Duomo at Milan, under Paladini, of whom he learned singing, the harpsichord, and composition; but having previously manifested a partiality for the violin, his father recalled him to Turin, in order to receive instructions on that instrument of the famous Somis. He went to Rome early in his life, and afterwards to Naples, where, having obtained a place among ripienos in the opera orchestra, he used to flourish and change passages

'Morer-Pilkington.-Rees's Cyclopædia

2 Fabroni Vits Italorum.-Dict. Hist.-Saxii Onomast.

much more frequently than he ought to have done. "However," says Giardini, of whom Dr. Burney had this account, "I acquired great reputation among the ignorant for my impertinence; yet one night, during the opera, Jomelli, who had composed it, came into the orchestra, and seating himself close by me, I determined to give the maestro di cappella a touch of my taste and execution; and in the symphony of the next song, which was in a pathetic style, I gave loose to my fingers and fancy; for which I was rewarded by the composer with a-violent slap in the face; which," adds Giardini, "was the best lesson I ever received from a great master in my life." Jomelli, after this, was however very kind, in a different way, to this young and wonderful musician.

Giardini came to England in the spring of 1750. His first public performance in London was at a benefit concert, on which occasion he played a solo and concerto, and though there was very little company, the applause was so loud, long, and furious, as nothing but that bestowed on Garrick had ever equalled. In consequence, hé soon was engaged and caressed at most of the private concerts of the principal nobility, gentry, and foreign ministers; at the Castle and King's-arms concert in the city; and in 1754 he was placed at the head of the opera band; in which he introduced a new discipline, and a new style of playing, much superior in itself, and more congenial with the poetry and music of Italy, than the languid manner of his predecessor Festing.

In 1756, on the failure and flight of the Impresario, or undertaker of the opera, Vaneschi, Mingotti, and Giardini joined their interests, and became managers, but found themselves involved at the end of the season in such difficulties, that they were glad to retire. Giardini, while in the opera management, besides arranging pasticcios, set several entire dramas; but though he had so great a hand on his instrument, so much fancy in his cadences and solos, yet he had not sufficient force or variety to supply a whole evening's entertainment at the Lyric theatre, although he continued to throw in a single air or rondeau into the operas of other masters, which was more applauded than all the rest of the drama. In 1762, in spite of former miscarriages, Giardini and Mingotti again resumed the reins of opera government. But, after struggling two years, they again resigned it, and from this period Giar

dini was forced to content himself with teaching ladies of rank and fashion to sing, and the produce of a great annual benefit. He continued here unrivalled as a leader, a solo player, and a composer for his instrument, still augmenting the importance of his instrument and our national partiality for the taste of his country, till the admirable productions and great performers of Germany began to form a Teutonic interest and Germanic body here, which, before Giardini's departure from London, became very formidable rivals to him and his Roman legion.

At the end of 1784, he went to Italy, and after remaining on the continent till the summer of 1789, returned to this country, bringing with him a female pupil and her whole family. He then attempted a burletta opera at the little theatre in the Haymarket, while the operahouse, which had been burned down, was rebuilding; but his speculation failed. During his absence the public had learned to do without him, and reconciled themselves to his loss; his health, hand, and eyes were impaired; he was dropsical, his legs were of au enormous size, and little of his former superiority on his instrument remained, but his fine tone. He composed quartets that pleased very much, but in which he never played any other part in public than the tenor. The style of music was changed; he printed many of his old compositions which used to please; but now could gain neither purchasers nor hearers, so that about 1793, he went to Petersburg with his burletta troop; which seems to have pleased as little there and at Moscow, as in London; and he is said to have died in this last city in great wretchedness and poverty !

Of this performer, Dr. Burney says, that if he "has been surpassed by a few in taste, expression, and execution, his tone and graceful manner of playing are still unrivalled; nor does any one of all the admirable and great performers on the violin, surpass all others so much at present, as Giardini did, when at his best, all the violinists in Europe." Giardini's private character appears to have been of the worst description; and although possessed of such talents and intellects as art and nature scarcely ever allowed to the same individual, yet by extravagance, caprice, and a total want of benevolence and rectitude of heart, he died a beggar, unfriended and unpitied.'

1 Rees's Cyclopædia, by Dr. Burney,

« ZurückWeiter »