| PREFACE, | [pp. v-vii.] |
| INTRODUCTORY MEMOIR. | |
| Ancient period:— | |
| History of Linguists little known—Legendary Linguists—The
Jews—The Asiatics—The Greeks—Mithridates—Cleopatra—The
Romans—Prevalence of Greek under the Empire—The Early Christians—Decline
of the Study—Separation of the two Empires—The
Crusaders—Frederic II—The Moorish Schools in Spain—Council
of Vienne—Roderigo Ximenes—Venetian travellers—Fall of Constantinople—Greeks
in Italy—Complutensian Polyglot, | [pp. 5-18.] |
| Modern period:— | |
| I. Linguists of the East. Dragomans—Genus Bey—Jonadab
Alhanar—Interpreters in the Levant—Ciceroni at Mecca—Syrian
Linguists—The Assemani—Greeks—Armenians—The Mechitarists, | [pp. 18-24.] |
| II. Italian Linguists. Pico della Mirandola—Teseo Ambrosio—Pigafetta—Linguistic
Missionary Colleges—The Propaganda—Schools
of the Religious Orders—Giggei—Galani—Ubicini—Maracci—Podestà—Piromalli—Giorgi—De
Magistris—Finetti—Valperga
de Galuso—The De Rossis, | [pp. 25-34.] |
| III. Spanish and Portuguese Linguists. Fernando di Cordova—Covilham—Libertas
Cominetus—Arias Montanus—Del Rio—Lope
de Vega—Missionaries—Antonio Fernandez—Carabantes—Pedro
Paez—Hervas-y-Pandura, | [pp. 34-41.] |
| IV. French Linguists. Postel—Polyglot-Pater-Nosters—Scaliger—Le
Cluse—Peiresc—Chasteuil—Duret—Bochart—Picquet—Le
Jay—De la Croze—Renaudot—Fourmont—Deshauterayes—De
Guignes—Diplomatic affairs in the Levant—De Paradis, Langlés—Abel
Remusat—Modern School, Julien, Bournouf, Renan, Fresnel,
the d’Abbadies, | [pp. 41-58.] |
| V. German, Dutch, Flemish, and Hungarian Linguists. Müller—(Regiomontanus)—Bibliander—Gesner—Christmann—Drusius—Schultens—Maes—Haecx—Gramaye—Erpen—The
Goliuses—Hottinger—Kircher—Ludolf—Rothenacker—Andrew
Müller—Witzen—Wilkins—Leibnitz—Gerard Müller—Schlötzer—Buttner—Michaelis—Catholic
Missionaries—Richter, Fritz, Widmann, Grebmer,
Dobritzhofer, Werdin—Berchtold, Adelung, Vater, Pallas, Klaproth,
Niebuhr, Humboldt and his School—Castrén, Rask, Bunsen,
Biblical Linguists—Hungarian Linguists—Csoma de Körös, | [pp. 59-81.] |
| VI. British and Irish Linguists. Crichton—Andrews—Gregory—Castell,
Walton, Pocock, Ockley, Sale, Clarke, Wilkins, Toland,
“Orator” Henley, Carteret, Jones, Marsden, Colebrooke, Craufurd,
Lumsden, Leyden, Vans Kennedy, Adam Clarke, Roberts Jones,
Young, Pritchard, Cardinal Wiseman, Browning, Lee, Burritt, | [pp. 81-99.] |
| VII. Slavonian Linguists. Russians—Scantiness of Materials—Early
Period—Jaroslav, Boris—The Romanoffs—Beründa Pameva,
Peter the Great, Catherine I., Mentschikoff, Timkoffsky, Bitchourin,
Igumnoff, Giganoff, Tchubinoff, Goulianoff, Senkowsky, Gretsch,
Kazem-Beg—Poles—Meninski, Groddek, Bobrowski, Albertrandy,
Rzewuski, Italinski—Bohemians—Komnensky, Dobrowsky, Hanka, | [pp. 99-110.] |
| Miraculous gift of tongues—Royal Linguists—Lady-Linguists—Infant
Phenomena—Uneducated Linguists, | [pp. 110-121.] |
| LIFE OF CARDINAL MEZZOFANTI. | |
| CHAPTER I. (1774-98.) | |
| Birth and family history—Legendary tales—Early education—First
masters—School friends—Ecclesiastical studies—Illness and interruption
of studies—Study of languages—Anecdote—Ordination—Appointment
as Professor of Arabic—Deprivation of professorship, | [pp. 125-147.] |
| CHAPTER II. (1798-1802.) | |
| Straitened circumstances—Private tuition—The Marescalchi
family—The military hospitals—Manner of study—The Magyar,
Czechish, Polish, Russian, and Flemish languages—Foreigners—The
Confessional—Intense application—Examples of literary labour, | [pp. 148-161.] |
| CHAPTER III. (1803-1806.) | |
| Appointed as Assistant Librarian of the Istituto di Bologna—Catalogue
Raisonné—Professorship of Oriental Languages—Paper
on Egyptian obelisks—De Rossi—Correspondence with him—Polyglot
translations—Caronni’s account of him—Visit to Parma, Pezzana,
Bodoni—Persian—Illness—Invitation to settle at Paris—Domestic
relations—Correspondence—Translations, | [pp. 162-190.] |
| CHAPTER IV. (1807-14.) | |
| Labour of compiling Catalogue—His skill as linguist tested by
the Russian Embassy—Deprivation of Professorship—Death of his
mother—Visit to Modena and Parma—Literary friends—Giordani’s
account—Greek scholarship—Bucheron’s trial of his Latinity—Deputy
Librarianship of University—Visitors—Lord Guildford—Learned
societies—Academy of Institute—Paper on Mexican symbolic
Paintings, | [pp. 191-204.] |
| CHAPTER V. (1814-17.) | |
| Restoration of the Papal Government—Pius VII. at Bologna—Invites
Mezzofanti to Rome—Re-appointment as Professor of Oriental
languages—Death of his father—Notices of Mezzofanti by Tourists—Kephalides—Appointed
head librarian—Pupils—Angelelli—Papers
read at Academy, | [pp. 205-18.] |
| CHAPTER VI. (1817-20.) | |
| Tourists’ Notices of Mezzofanti—Society in Bologna—Mr. Harford—Stewart
Rose—Byron—The Opuscoli Letterarj di Bologna—Panegyric
of F. Aponte—Emperor Francis I. at Bologna—Clotilda
Tambroni—Lady Morgan’s account of Mezzofanti—Inaccuracies—The
Bologna dialect—M. Molbech, | [pp. 219-40.] |
| CHAPTER VII. (1820-28.) | |
| Illness—Visit to Mantua, Modena, Pisa, and Leghorn—Solar
Eclipse—Baron Von Zach—Bohemian—Admiral Smyth—The Gipsy
language—Blume—Armenian—Georgian—Flemish—Pupils—Cavedoni,
Veggetti, Rosellini—Foreigners—Daily duties—Correspondence—Death
of Pius VII.—Appointment as member of Collegio dei Consultori—Jacobs’
account of him—Personal appearance—Cardinal
Cappellari—Translation of Oriental Liturgy—Mezzofanti’s disinterestedness—Birmese, | [pp. 241-70.] |
| CHAPTER VIII. (1828-30.) | |
| Visit of Crown Prince of Prussia—Trial of skill in languages—Crown
Prince of Sweden—M. Braunerhjelm—Countess of Blessington—Irish
Students—Lady Bellew—Dr. Tholuck—Persian
couplet—Swedish—Cornish Dialect—Frisian—Abate Fabiani—Letters—Academy
of the Filopieri, | [pp. 271-86.] |
| CHAPTER IX. (1831.) | |
| Political parties at Bologna—M. Libri’s account of Mezzofanti—Hindoo
Algebra—Indian literature and history—Indian languages—Manner
of study—Revolution of Bologna—Delegates to Rome—Mezzofanti
at Rome—Reception by Gregory XVI.—Visit to the
Propaganda—Dr. Cullen—Polyglot conversation—Renewed Invitation
to settle at Rome—Consents—Calumnies of revolutionary party—Dr.
Wordsworth—Mr. Milnes—Removal to Rome, | [pp. 287-300.] |
| CHAPTER X. (1831-33.) | |
| Rome a centre of many languages—Mezzofanti’s pretensions
fully tested—Appointments at Rome—Visit to the Chinese College
at Naples—History of the College—Study of Chinese—Its difficulties—Illness—Return
to Rome—Polyglot society of Rome—The
Propaganda—Amusing trials of skill—Gregory XVI.—Library of
Propaganda rich in rare books on languages—Appointed First Keeper
of the Vatican Library—Letters, | [pp. 301-17.] |
| CHAPTER XI. (1834.) | |
| The Welsh language—Dr. Forster—Dr. Baines—Dr. Edwards—Mr.
Rhys Powell—Flemish—Mgr. Malou—Mgr. Wilde—Canon Aerts—Pere
van Calven—Pere Legrelle—Dutch—M. Leon—Dr. Wap—Mezzofanti’s
extempore Dutch verses—Bohemian—The poet Frankl—Conversations
on German and Magyar Poetry—Maltese—Padre Schembri—Canonico
Falzou—Portuguese—Count de Lavradio, | [pp. 318-37.] |
| CHAPTER XII. (1834-36.) | |
| The Vatican Library—Mezzofanti’s colleagues—College of St.
Peter’s—Mezzofanti made Rector—His literary friends in Rome—Angelo
Mai—Accademia della Cattolica Religione—He reads papers
in this Academy—Gregory XVI.’s kindness—Cardinal Giustiniani—Albani—Pacca—Zurla—Polyglot
party at Cardinal Zurla’s
in his honour—Opinions regarding him—Number of his languages—Mr.
Mazzinghi—Dr. Cox—Dr. Wiseman—Herr Fleck—Greek
Epigram—Herr Fleck’s criticisms—Mezzofanti’s Latinity—His English—Dr.
Baines—Cardinal Wiseman—Mr. Monckton Milnes—Mezzofanti’s
style formed on books—Lady Morgan’s opinion of his
English—Swedish Literature—Professor Carlson—Count Oxenstjerna—Armenian
Literature—Mgr. Hurmuz—Padre Angiarakian
Arabic of Syria—Greek Literature—Mgr. Missir—Romaic—Abate
Matranga—Polish Literature—Sicilian—The poet Meli, | [pp. 338-54.] |
| CHAPTER XIII. (1836-38.) | |
| Californian students in Propaganda—Californian language—Mezzofanti’s
success in it—Nigger Dutch of Curaçoa—American Indians
in Propaganda—Augustine Hamelin—“The Blackbird”—Mezzofanti’s
knowledge of Indian languages—Dr. Kip—Algonquin—Chippewa
Delaware—Father Thavenet—His studies in the Propaganda—Arabic—Albanese—Mr.
Fernando’s notice of him—Cingalese—East
Indian languages—Hindostani—Mahratta—Guzarattee—Dr.
M’Auliffe—Count Lackersteen—M. Eyoob—Chinese, difficulty of—Chinese
students—Testimony of Abate Umpierres—Cardinal Wiseman—West
African languages—Father Brunner—Angolese—Oriental
languages—Paul Alkushi—“Shalom”—Letter, | [pp. 355-72.] |
| CHAPTER XIV. (1838-41.) | |
| Created Cardinal—The Cardinalate—Its history, duties, emoluments,
congregations, offices—Mezzofanti’s poverty—Kindness of
Gregory XVI.—Congratulations of his Bolognese friends—The
Filopieri—Polyglot congratulations of the Propaganda—Friends
among the Cardinals—His life as Cardinal—Still continues to acquire
new languages—Abyssinian—M. d’Abbadie—His visit to
Mezzofanti—Basque—Amarinna—Arabic—Ilmorma—Mezzofanti’s
failure—Studies Amarinna—Abyssinian Embassy to Rome—Their
account of the Cardinal—The Basque language—M. d’Abbadie—Prince
L.L. Bonaparte—M. Dassance—Strictures on Mezzofanti—Mrs.
Paget—Baron Glucky de Stenitzer—Guido Görres—Modesty
of Mezzofanti—Mr. Kip—Görres—Cardinal Wiseman—Mezzofanti
among the pupils of the Propaganda, | [pp. 373-97.] |
| CHAPTER XV. (1841-43.) | |
| Author’s recollections of Mezzofanti in 1841—His personal appearance
and manner; his attractive simplicity—Languages in which the
author heard him speak—His English conversation—Various opinions
regarding it—Impressions of the author—Anecdotes—Cardinal
Wiseman—Rev. John Smyth—Father Kelleher—His knowledge of
English literature—Mr. Harford—Dr. Cox—Cardinal Wiseman—Mr.
Grattan—Mr. Badeley—Hudibras—Author’s own conversation
with the Cardinal—The Tractarian movement—Mr. Grattan—Baron
Bunsen—Author’s second visit to Rome—The Polyglot Academy
of the Propaganda—Playful trial of Mezzofanti’s powers by
the students—His wonderful versatility of language—Analogous
examples of this faculty—Description of it by visitors—His own illustration—The
Irish language—Mezzofanti’s admission regarding
it—The Etruria Celtica—The Eugubian Tables—Amusing experiment
suggested by Mezzofanti—Dr. Murphy—The Gælic language—Mezzofanti’s
extempore Metrical compositions—Specimens—Rapidity
with which he wrote them—Power of accommodating his pronunciation
of Latin to that of the various countries—National interjectional
sounds—Playfulness—Puns, | [pp. 398-431.] |
| CHAPTER XVI. (1843-49.) | |
| Death of his nephew Mgr. Minarelli—His sister Teresa—Letter—Visitors—Rev.
Ingraham Kip—English conversation—English literature—American
literature—The American Indian languages—Scottish
dialect—Burns and Walter Scott—Rev. John Gray—Mezzofanti
as a philologer—Baron Bunsen—The Abbé Gaume—French
patois—Spanish—Father Burrueco—Mexican—Peruvian—New Zealand
language—Armenian and Turkish—Father Trenz—Russian—M.
Mouravieff—The Emperor Nicholas—Polish—Klementyna z
Tanskich Hoffmanowa—Makrena, Abbess of Minsk—Her history—Her
account of Mezzofanti—His occupations—House of Catechumens—First
communion—Fervorini—The confessional—Death of
Gregory XVI.—Election of Pius IX.—Mezzofanti’s epigrams on the
occasion—His relations with the new Pope—Father Bresciani’s account
of him—The revolution of 1848—Its effect on Cardinal Mezzofanti—His
illness—Death and funeral, | [pp. 432-56.] |
| CHAPTER XVII. (Recapitulation.) | |
| Plan pursued in preparing this Biography—Points of inquiry—Number
of languages known to Mezzofanti—What is meant by
knowledge of a language—Popular notion of it—Mezzofanti’s number
of languages progressive—Dr. Minarelli’s list of languages known
by him—Classification of languages according to the degrees of his
knowledge—Languages spoken by him with great perfection—Languages
spoken less perfectly—Languages in which he could initiate
a conversation—Languages known from books—Dialects—Southern
and central American languages—Total number known to him in
various degrees—His speaking of languages not literally faultless,
but perfect to a degree rare in foreigners—Comparison with other
linguists—His plan of studying languages—Various systems of study—Mezzofanti’s
method involved much labour—Habit of thinking in
foreign languages—His success a special gift of nature—In what this
consisted—Quickness of perception—Analysis—Memory—Peculiarity
of his memory—His enthusiasm and simplicity—Mezzofanti as
a philologer, as a critic, a historian, a man of science—Piety and
charity, liberal and tolerant spirit—Social virtues, | [pp. 457-493.] |
| APPENDIX, | [pp. 495-502.] |
